Release Stored Emotions Before the Storm Hits
by Lori Radun
Recently my client shared with me a scary incident she
experienced with her
body. As she was driving, her teeth and arms
began to tingle, her vision tunneled, and her heart was pounding
very fast. Fortunately for her, she was close to a medical clinic.
Upon arriving at the clinic, she was shocked to find that her blood
pressure was measuring 190/110. My client is young and leads an
active lifestyle, and all her medical tests came back negative. So
what happened here? Just like a barometer measures atmospheric
pressure, each of us has an emotional barometer that measures our
stored emotions and tension levels. A storm is generally anticipated
when the barometer is falling rapidly; when the barometer is rising,
fair weather may usually be expected. In this case, my client's
emotional barometer was falling rapidly and her blood pressure was
rapidly rising. Many years of unprocessed emotions finally took its
toll on her.
We were created to experience many emotions - from anger and
sadness to happiness and joy. Unfortunately, many of us have been
conditioned to believe that certain emotions are negative and others
are positive. Actually it's what we do with the emotions that are
either negative or positive. The emotions themselves are what they
are. Your emotions are signals you need to pay attention to. Just
like you are supposed to slow down when the traffic light is yellow
and stop when the light is red, your emotions serve the same
purpose. If you are feeling angry, it is a signal that something is
wrong. It could be that someone is actually disrespecting you, or
you are holding a perception you are being mistreated. If you are
feeling sad, perhaps you are missing something or someone you wish
you had. Likewise, feelings of happiness and joy are signs that you
appreciate an experience or your thoughts are of gratitude and
abundance.
So what happens when you don't pay attention to and process your
emotions? Your emotions are stored in your subconscious mind and in
your body. Let me give you an example. Many years ago, at a time
when my life wasn't so happy, I went for my first massage as an
assignment for a college course I was taking. The massage itself was
wonderful. Now you would think that I would walk out of that
experience feeling great and relaxed. Surprisingly, I found myself
feeling very angry. Why? Because years of angry feelings were stored
in my muscles and the massage released those emotions. If you ignore
and store your "negative" emotions, they will manifest
themselves in disease, health issues or other destructive outlets.
So your first step is to stop ignoring your emotions. Use them to
tell you what's next. What do you need to do differently?
There are many things you can do to manage and release your
emotions.
" Speak up immediately. Sometimes someone does something
that hurts or angers us. It can be easy, especially if it is
something small, to let the issue pass without saying anything. It
is important you let others know how you are feeling so many little
issues don't build into a volcano.
" Evaluate and change your thoughts. Many of our emotions
come from the thoughts we have. Negative thinking can be so
automatic for some people that they don't even realize they're doing
it. So the next time you find yourself feeling unhappy, pay
attention to your thoughts. Try changing your thoughts to something
positive and see if your emotions follow.
" Look at the boundaries in your life. A boundary is an
emotional line you draw that tells people what your limits are. Are
you allowing others to step over your boundaries? Pay attention to
and honor your limits. Know when to say no to protect your emotional
and physical health.
" Take time to refuel. More often than not our emotions tell
us when we are tired and emotionally drained. Pay attention to your
short fuse and irritability. This is probably a sign that you need
to do something to take care of yourself. Schedule some fun and
relaxation time for yourself. This will do wonders for putting your
emotions in check.
" Laugh. Laughter releases endorphins in your brain - the
"feel good" hormone. Watch a hilarious movie or comedy
skit. Read a light hearted joke book. Do something that makes you
laugh yourself silly.
" Exercise. My doctor has always said exercise is the best
antidepressant on the market. Blow off some steam by taking a brisk
30 minute walk. Relax with a yoga class. Do a little Taebo and punch
and kick until your heart's content.
" Journal. Take 30 minutes every morning to write in a
journal anything and everything that you are feeling. Process
everything that is going on in your life. You will be amazed at what
can come up during the journaling process. Not only will it help you
release your emotions, journaling will help you learn a lot about
yourself. You may even come up with creative solutions to life's
problems.
" Prayer and Meditation. Use prayer or meditation as an
outlet to express your emotions. When I pray, I ask God to take my
anger or open my heart to joy. Prayer and meditation give you the
alone time you sometimes need to process your feelings.
Weather Flash: Watch your emotional barometer and keep the storms
from clouding your life.
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