Emotion, the ability to feel, is what makes us human. There is no innately 'bad' emotion. In fact, every single emotion is positive and constructive. Anger, for example, tells us that someone has crossed a boundary of ours. Overwhelm is a call from the body to go inwards and take care of our own needs before the needs of others. When are emotions destructive? When we battle to manage difficult emotions and project them onto others.
A lot of us haven't been taught how to manage difficult emotions as children. That little child still exists in each and every one of us, and is the very thing that gets upset, angry, frustrated, bored, excited, joyful etc. How do most of us respond to this inner child? With the same criticism and judgement we had from our environment growing up. 'What is wrong with me' 'Why do I feel like this, I have no reason to' 'Not right now' 'I don't have time for you' I have to keep moving forward' 'Just suck it up'.
What would happen if we honoured and nurtured the child? If, every time the child gets upset, we listen and validate. We say things like
'I have got you'
'It's going to be okay'
'It makes so much sense that you feel this way'
'I am going to listen to your needs first'
'I am going to let that person know they crossed a boundary'.
Emotion is the inner child, calling for us to take action. How can we be the loving adult it is so desperate for...
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