Let’s be honest, we tend to ignore our negative feelings. Most people are only okay to share when things are going well. But, if you continue to suppress your feelings, it can have long term effects. If you continue to avoid your negative feelings, it will come out in other ways. It is best to acknowledge your feelings, seek therapy or a mentor, and understand the why behind your feelings.
Acknowledge Your Feelings
Guess what? There are so many labels for feelings besides happiness, anger, and sadness. Learn how to name your feelings and give yourself time to process them. When you can acknowledge your feelings, then you can move past them. When you ignore your true feelings, you will begin to express them in unhealthy ways without realizing it.
Seek Therapy or a Mentor
Therapy is a great way to express all feelings without judgment. Our friends and family can only give so much support and usually give a bias opinion. A therapist is a neutral party that can give you clarity on your overall mental health.
Secondly, mentors are great sounding boards as well. So, find someone in your career field or someone you truly admire to give you guidance. Honestly, some of the most insightful people in your life are the ones that can share their lowest valleys and highest peaks without reservations.
Understand the Why
Did you know that your feelings can be a thermometer for your mental health? Feelings give you a mental health temperature. The therapist will ask certain questions that make you stop and think. Sometimes, we get so busy that we do not stop to reflect on what we are feeling and why.
If you do not find the why behind the feelings, it will be difficult to move past your negative feelings. Once you recognize your triggers, you can begin to develop healthier behavior patterns.
Conclusion
When I started acknowledging all of my thoughts and feelings, I became more emotionally regulated. When you do the inner work on yourself, then you will be able to hold space for others to express their feelings as well. We live in a society where people struggle to hold space for people when they are going through a hard time such as death, miscarriages, and divorce. Lastly, expressing negative feelings does not mean that you are being negative. If means that your are being truthful.
Hope this Helps,
Dominique Duarte
Refer to How to Become Self-Aware: https://www.bydominiqueduarte.com/how-to-become-self-aware/
Book Referral: https://www.amazon.com/Living-Life-Balance-Spiritual-Performance-ebook/dp/B0BC4PJ3SK
How do you process your negative thoughts and feelings? Comment Below