Difficult emotions - those emotions we would rather not be having. We may be wishing that whatever it is that occurred that affected us in this way simply did not happen.
Know you are not alone. We all experience difficult emotions at times. And after this week, there is much solidarity in knowing we are not alone in how we feel.
Steps for Dealing with Difficult Emotions
These steps and tips are not meant to be a remedy but hopefully a helpful step forward for creating space around our emotions. To shift from the feeling of an emotion overtaking our entire body to being a part of the body.
#1 Be With
Often when we experience discomfort we want to immediately escape the discomfort. When we experience emotions that are simply not fun, or challenging or difficult - whatever it is for you - it is important to remind ourselves that it is okay to be with that emotion for a bit.
#2 Recognize + Name
Especially if we are experiencing many emotions at once, it might not be easy to recognize or name which emotions we are experiencing. Begin by noticing what you are feeling. Can you name the emotions? This can be a helpful step in understanding and working through our emotions. If more emotions come up, pause and come back to this at a later time.
#3 Remember - It's Temporary
Our emotions are like waves that come and go. We may experience happiness and sadness in one day. Remember that what you are experiencing is temporary.
#4 Change What You Can
We cannot control every aspect of life, the situations that occur around us nor the emotions within us. Wisdom lies in recognizing the things we can change and the things we cannot change.
Photo Credit: Tengyar