The Four-Letter "F" Word that You Should Embrace Right Now!

It's FEEL!  Surprising??  FEELINGS are messages to our brains! They are not meant to cause us pain, keeping us stuck or unhappy. Feelings are designed to be our guides, to help us understand impending danger and to alert us that something is worthy paying attention to. So why do we override this ingeniously implanted system?

As humans, we find all sorts of painful ways to numb or avoid our feelings because we have been taught that pain is intolerable! When we don't want to feel difficult emotions - we tend to get attracted to a cycle of very elaborate ways to avoid and numb out....Working too much, drinking excessively, obsessive thinking, using drugs, over eating, gambling, cheating, self-harming are all ways you can numb your feelings.

Here's one simple task to help you learn to FEEL right now! Sit in a quiet space for one full minute (set a timer on your phone) and just notice what comes up. Just allow yourself to FEEL. When the timer goes off, get up and move on. Do not judge what you observed. Just take stock in it. What's coming up in your body? What do you hear in your mind? If it's a lot to take in, don't try to sort it out. Just notice what floats (or zooms) on by. Breathe through the urge to get up before the timer pings you. Learn from listening to your feelings. They are the best resource you have!

Repeat this exercise each day, possibly increasing the time by 10 seconds every time. Creating a space where it is okay to just feel will help you learn to tolerate whatever comes up. Feelings can be your friend - so invite them in and make them feel welcome :)

Feeling is essential to a healthy vibrant life! Start practicing today..