The energy that comes with our feelings almost always prompts, pushes or nudges us toward an action – we feel the need to do something with them. The feeling comes, there is discomfort, sensations that are demanding our attention, we feel compelled to act in some way. The feelings are real and what we have in the moment is our choice about what we do next.
I highly recommend the book, Letting Go, by David R. Hawkins; in it he shares that we usually deal with our feelings in one of three ways:
- We suppress or repress them – this happens consciously or unconsciously and this is where we keeping pushing through regardless. This can be typical of social norms or family and cultural expectations especially when they are not aligned to our own (sometimes unacknowledged) internal values. We suffer through and typically feel guilt or fear.
- We can act them out, usually with others – unloading on to our friends, family, work colleagues may feel like it’s a good way to remove them from our system, not only is this not the case but we have also created tension and stress for someone else as well. This is like a multiplying effect that we create when we indulge in discharging our feelings on to others.
- And finally, we can choose the escape route, a pretty common way of dealing with overwhelm and feelings – avoid them through many acceptable means. This can be done quite purposefully or less so as we pick up “habits” that unconsciously switch us to autopilot.
No doubt all three ways will have some degree of familiarity. What we want to work towards is taking the role as observer, almost like a documentary maker – watch what’s going on, let it happen and don’t interject no matter how great the need or compulsion to do something (like the three actions above).
The practice of observing feelings and sensations and not engaging but allowing and then shifting and moving on is powerful – the benefit is in the practice, the consistent letting go, helping it to be more effortless and the choice of our actions easier. This is where our work truly lies. For me, it is a lesson on endless repeat.
There is a flippancy in the words “let go” that can even feel annoying but once understood start to create a different action, a different opportunity, a different way for us to be, one filled with freedom, creativity and expansion. This is what I always want to remember to choose.
Lots of love,
Jo x