How Does One Move Through Difficult Emotions
And Experience Growth and Awareness
“When we simply allow ourselves to fully feel our feelings as they come, we tend to let them go easily.” — Deborah Norris (Mindfulness Researcher)
As I start to integrate my mindfulness practice into my daily life, it allows me to release any tension or resistance that is coming up physically, mentally or emotionally. I begin to understand the power of fully allowing things in, and out, just like our breath — we don’t let just a little bit in and hold onto it!
The problem with most of us is our resistance to feel or face difficult emotions in the first place. We would most rather numb them or even feel that we shouldn’t feel a certain way- be it anger, sadness or any uncomfortable feelings.
These unresolved energies are stored in our minds and bodies like a PC that is running some software in the background, draining our batteries constantly. And I know it can feel so daunting to invite discomfort in. It really takes great courage and awareness to have trust in our own ability to process what comes up when it comes up.
To begin with, being able to accept and identify our emotions is the first step. Say if sadness arises, you can notice where it feels in your body, invite it in and allow yourself to fully express it through tears or retreat to an inward quiet space. This is all we are required to do, to let our feelings simply be felt and expressed.
We often waste our mental energy and create blocks in trying to analyse or judge the situation. For example, I had someone recently sharing with me that she feels bad for feeling angry at someone even though she has done a lot of work in forgiving them. I responded with the notion that the moment we judge our feelings, we are creating resistance and we should rather explore and acknowledge any feeling that arises.
I would describe letting go of any difficult feelings like grains of sand. You can try to grip it hard and hold onto it, but the grains of sand will still slip through your fingers. So why not open your fingers and let it flow out at ease?
The grains of sand will then formate and fall into different paths, all returning back to the ground. As we allow our emotions in, and out to flow wherever it needs be, with an open and curious mind, you will naturally find it easier to move through your emotions in any situation.
Each emotion no matter how difficult serves its own deeper purpose in enriching our inner world and human experience. Sometimes, it creates space for new energies or feelings to flow in, sometimes it’s a source of growth or lesson we haven’t had yet. All we need to do is open the channels and be ready to accept and receive.
If you’ve enjoyed this and would like to learn more about mindfulness and finding inner peace, here are some of my other work:
