Mindfully Processing
There are times in my life that I have done things that I am not particularly proud of. Every time these thoughts creep into the surface of my consciousness I tie a brick to them and watch them sink back into the depths. This is the way that I cope with things that are uncomfortable and I cannot confront without my world seemingly collapsing. I had a good reason to believe this because you can only hold your feelings that NEED to be processed at bay for so long. These thoughts are like impatient two year olds that are able to ban together and throw the temper tantrum of the century if they are not heard. Of course it was unbearable because I had put these thoughts off for so long.
Why do these thoughts need to be heard so badly? To accept yourself you truly need to accept the good as well as the bad. When you banish these feelings to the depths of your subconscious you are ultimately rejecting who you truly are. Part of the human being experience is making mistakes and allowing yourself to learn from them. Growing as a person can be uncomfortable at times and in our society we are taught to go after what feels good and to forget the parts that don't. This thinking is what makes us live at a shallow level of existence. In life you are going to have periods of time that do not feel very good. Running from them is rejecting who you are as well as who you are destined to become.
So how do you process these pesky feelings? I like to sit in meditation and to give them space to just be. I once read that we are the only people that can define whether an experience is negative or positive. Everything is neutral and we have the power to define it. In these moments that the feelings feel so intense I remind myself "This is neither or positive or negative, it just is." What really can trip us up is when we think things like "This is so awful!" or "This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me." These thoughts are what cause the pain not the actual experiences themselves. Just give those feelings space and allow yourself to be present to what is happening in your body. It is amazing how these feelings can manifest in meditation. Ask yourself questions like "Where am I feeling this emotion?" For me I feel emotions in my chest right next to my heart chakra but you can feel these emotions anywhere in your body. Be a casual observer of your experience instead of a diligent labeler that tries to put everything in containable boxes.
Next I would realize that pain and discomfort is usually a signal of intense growth. Give yourself credit for how you are handling things and be nicer to yourself. Always take baby steps and never expect perfection. If these emotions leave you tired and drained treat yourself to a nice brisk walk or allow yourself to sleep in a bit more. Honor yourself and your journey. You are not the only one and this hardship is preparing you on your beautiful life path. You are exactly where you need to be in this point in time.
Allow Love and Light To Guide You On Your Way XO Kristen
