I spent years running from my emotions. I attempted to avoid them with television, video games, and social media (plus many other things) never realizing just how much damage I was actually doing to myself. I was cutting myself off from my feelings to the point where I couldn’t recognize them anymore.
With the support of a close friend I decided to put an end to my emotional avoidance. At his suggestion I stripped away everything that was distancing me from my emotions. I took myself off of Facebook, I cancelled my Direct TV subscription, and I sold my Xbox.
Life as I knew it suddenly looked very different. Instead of coming home and turning on the television I came home and journaled. Instead of going on Facebook and comparing my life to others I sat in silence. Instead of playing video games for hours on end I sat and listened to music.
It didn’t take long for my repressed emotions to bubble up to the surface and when they did I cried. I cried a lot and I’m not ashamed to admit it. It was so healing. I connected to the part of me that I had desperately been trying to avoid my whole life. I gave myself the gift of…me.
I share all of this with you because I believe we live in a world of people who are afraid of feelings. I say honor that part of you that went through whatever it went through. Feel your feelings (even the painful ones) because they all serve an important purpose. To quote Oprah from the Golden Globes “Speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have”. Our truth is our feelings. Feel them. Experience them. Express them. In doing this not only do we make a change in and for ourselves but we also make a global relational change.
Think about that one for a second. If I’m feeling my emotions over here and you’re working on yourself over there and some other guy is working on himself too then globally things are getting better. Collectively we are changing history. That’s a world I want to live in.
Have a beautiful day!
Zachary