On the Run From Your Emotions

Do you tend to avoid uncomfortable emotions like anger, sadness, or fear? It’s pretty common. You can run, but you can't hide from your emotions.

Many of us learn to “put on a happy face” and turn those strong emotions off.

But life is about feeling.

And feeling involves a range of emotions.

Love, hate, sorrow, joy, and fear are considered universal emotions.

Emotions inform, guide, and engage us in life, and in relationships. Without them, our relationships lack real connection.

Here are some Tips from the Trail to consider:

1. Do you tend to avoid feeling or showing anger?

2. Do you feel uncomfortable when someone shows their anger? Many of us “avoid confrontation” at all costs.

3. What makes you angry? Bad drivers, kids not listening, technology problems, etc?

4. Try this exercise: Next time you start to feel anger, just notice it and identify where in your body you are feeling it. Many of us feel anger in our guts, around our hearts, or shoulders. Then, name it. ” I feel angry.” Say it out loud. Once we name a feeling, it doesn’t have power over us, we have power of it! Make sense?

Shed light on the emotion by recognizing it, identifying where you feel it in your body, and then calling it what it is.

When we pause and notice, identify, and name our emotions, we can learn to respond to them (our choice) versus react to them.

For example, you make the choice to feel anger, rather than letting anger choose your actions. Often we go into automatic reaction mode. Our goal is to respond to our emotions instead of reacting to them. Practice pausing, identifying, and naming your emotions this week and see how it impacts your responses.