One feeling that many people are expressing these days is one of “heaviness”. Now that we have passed the anniversary of our first COVID case in Canada, the LONG HAUL feeling may be settling in along with the midwinter blahs. Many emotions are arising. How do we effectively move with them and not get “frozen” in the Canadian winter?
In the Language of Emotions, Karla McLaren reminds us that emotions are related to the element of water so they need to flow. The first step is to recognize them (rather than distract ourselves and push them away) and give them some space. She suggests that, once we connect with the emotion and its associated sensations, we can take a deep breath and move it through us by exhaling with some “spiraling body movements” and/or some sounds (like a deep sigh or whatever feels right). In this way, we can acknowledge our emotions and offer them some space to move through rather than allowing them to get stuck.
We live in a culture that tends to avoid discomfort but IT IS STILL THERE in most of us. Working respectfully with your emotions, is a gift to yourself. One of the keys is to take small steps and always work within your own (dis)comfort zone. If you experience particularly challenging emotions, I invite you to reach out and get the professional support you need to take your own unique emotional journey.