Written by: Mei Flynn, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Emotions can be a big part of our lives as much as we may judge them as positive or negative. Growing up we are either taught to express them or to suppress them and to push them away, which can lead up to a build-up of stuck energy. This is often learnt behaviour we develop from our earlier childhood years with comments from others such as ‘Don’t be a cry baby’ or ‘Just get on with it.’
As a result, we are taught that showing emotions is not a good thing and it is not safe to show our vulnerability, so we safely tuck them away. We think this is the solution, but the emotions have not gone anywhere, and they are stored in our subconscious mind. We are also unaware that like a magnet they are still attracting events in our lives. To find out more about the law of attraction check out one of my previous articles.
Are emotions good or bad?
Emotions can actually be a good thing and they can be like a red flag, drawing attention to something we need to clear within ourselves. Emotions are energy in motion and when we are triggered by something it is already something within us that is brought up to the surface. We often think that other people can make us feel a certain way, but it is worth remembering that people may push our buttons, but they did not install them.
What we resist persists and grows stronger
Emotions can be very uncomfortable and when they come to the surface we often want to push them away and distract with work, sex or other activities. Another common coping mechanism is to hide them away with food, alcohol, drugs, for example, which might work in the short term only to return with increased intensity which you may have experienced.
Tips for handling emotions
Step 1
Acknowledge and allow what you feel and say YES to it, this can be enough sometimes to clear the energy. When we say NO to what we are feeling we are often making ourselves wrong and we fight the emotion making it stronger.
Step 2
Reach out and talk to a friend, family member or a professional person as it is very cathartic to be honest and express how we are feeling. When we feel we are in a safe space to share we gently open up and start to be honest about how we are feeling, which can feel like a powerful release.
Step 3
Some people prefer not to verbalise how they are feeling and prefer to write which is also an effective method. This can be as simple as getting a notebook and a pen and setting the intention. Often, we feel stuck and do not know where to start and what to write but trust the process because, as soon as you put pen to paper, you will not be able to stop!
Step 4
Movement is also good to release emotions as it shifts stuck energy. Maybe go for a walk and get out in nature as this can be very healing on a soul level. Chakra dancing is also a good and effective way to feel connected to how you are feeling and to help gently release and clear what does not serve us anymore.
Step 5
There are some different techniques such as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) which is known as acupuncture without needles, and we tap on certain points of the upper body. This releases emotions such as hurt, anger, upset etc and acknowledge what we are feeling to then allow space to bring in peace, love and joy. Another effective technique is the YES Technique where we just say YES to everything we are feeling, for example, YES I am feeling upset, Yes I am feeling confused. We just say YES to everything until it feels clear.
I hope that this article has helped you understand the purpose of emotions and different ways we can effectively express them. If you would like some help and guidance in doing an emotional detox I would love to hear from you.
Mei Flynn, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Mei Flynn is a Holistic Confidence Coach who inspires and empowers women 40+ to tap into their inner confidence to live the life they really want. She's suffered from low self-esteem most of her life and using a range of different psycho-spiritual techniques she has transformed her life and is now passionate about helping clients to do the same. The key is to help others to let go of limiting beliefs and blocks that's stopping them from living a happy and fulfilled life. Her mission is to help women thrive and not just survive.
