I’m grateful that nowadays people speak openly about mental health, seeing therapists, and experiencing our emotions. It is not an uncommon thing to hear (and it’s even become a hashtag) “It’s okay to not be okay.” But what does that even mean?
Not everyone was raised to feel safe in all their emotions. Many grew up in environments where we were expected to be happy, but not too happy, to internalize sadness, and to let it go if we had the audacity to feel angry.
Simply saying, “it’s okay” to feel and emote does not necessarily cause a person to grant themselves permission. We do the bulk of our learning before we turn 7 years old. By then we know the consequences and expectations of responding and reacting with our emotions. And it may take a long time, or intentional effort, to train ourselves out of decades of habits of masking, swallowing, and stifling our emotions.
It may feel weird to allow ourselves to sit in certain emotions, or even wrong. And as someone who is new to this, I will say it still feels super awkward. There is much shame around being unhappy. Maybe in church you were taught that you should be ashamed for being sad given all God has done for you. Or maybe in your upbringing you were labeled “ungrateful” for feeling disappointed when you received a gift that wasn’t quite the one you asked for. Or maybe your parents dared you to cry (threatened your safety if you cried) when you were getting your butt whooped or had just fallen and really hurt yourself.
We have so many reasons for why we hold in our emotions and why we may not feel safe to express them. Today, I gave myself permission to feel the way I feel… and it was new, but it also was the most loving thing I could’ve done.
If this resonates with you at all, check out today’s podcast. I share my own story of where I was today and a bit of how my past impacts that. I hope that through my story you’ll find some peace, comfort, or even courage to be where you are.
Blessings,
Marlene Dillon Empowerment Specialist
Check out today’s podcast!
Day 7 “Be Where You Are” #LIVINGMYTRUTH Share & Let’s Live! #Podcast Series w/ Marlene Dillon Empowerment Specialist
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Blessings!
Marlene Dillon Empowerment Specialist
On my Share & Let’s Live! podcast, I share tips and tools that are transforming my life and mindset every single day. If you appreciate this FREE daily podcast (and are able), please consider sending me a $5 tip via Buymeacoffee. It’s a great way to support without breaking the bank. (No pressure, of course. If you’re unable, please know I understand.)
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