Science technology concept. Scientist. Education.
If you are living in North America, you probably answered “push down.” You’re likely busy with a demanding job, taking care of family, trying to make ends meet, and squeezing in a little playtime.
The Cultural Tendency to Suppress Emotions
In North America, many of us grew up learning to push uncomfortable feelings away. Whether due to familial, cultural, or societal dogma, we were taught to hunker down and soldier forward. With so much to do, who had time to sit with sadness, feel disappointments, move through grief, or let anger have its day in court?
Personal Experience with Suppression
I know the push-down, move-on pattern well. I lived it for decades. However, I realized that this long-term pattern was costly. Severe abdominal pain, debilitating headaches, and constant exhaustion were my body’s way of saying, “Enough!” I had become a stressed-out workaholic, using work as a coping mechanism.
The Cost of Repressed Emotions
Research shows that repressing feelings begins a cycle of dis-ease, impacting mental and physical well-being. While parking our emotions during critical moments can be wise, the problem arises when we never return to address them.
The Importance of Processing Emotions
To heal, you need to process what’s embedded in your nervous system. You cannot heal what you do not let yourself feel. Repressed emotions linger, grow, and make it harder to handle future situations effectively. Over time, this leads to a disconnect from your internal guidance system—your gut and intuition.
Practical Steps to Connect with Your Feelings
Action: Next time you’re triggered, try this exercise:
- Find a quiet space and close your eyes.
- Feel the sensation and describe where it sits in your body.
- Ask yourself:
- When have I felt this before?
- How old was I?
- What was happening?
Identify three instances from your past. Are there any themes? This might reveal what needs healing.
My Daily Practice for Emotional Connection
Today, I take time to connect with my feelings, and the benefits are profound. This daily practice has helped me:
- Improve my mental clarity
- Enhance my level of resilience
- Strengthen my relationships
By acknowledging and processing my emotions, I feel more grounded and in tune with myself. It has actually allowed me to increase my self-tec: self-trust, self-esteem, and self-confidence! Definitely worth whatever uncomfortable moments I might have had to go through or will go through in the future.
Seeking Support
If you think you would like support to move through a part of you that’s keeping you stuck,
Click Here To Schedule Your Free Clarity Session
Lynette guides and supports smart hardworking women who, despite their efforts, feel trapped and unfulfilled, always striving but never quite achieving their desired changes. Her approach blends both analytical/logical (left brain) and creative/intuitive (right brain) perspectives and processes, allowing for tangible concrete results.
Drawing from over 16 years of dedicated spiritual exploration; learning from diverse programs, and achieving international accreditation in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) – Lynette offers a practical framework for empowerment. Visit https://transformationstartswithin.com/acknowledgements-references/ to learn more within Acknowledgements and References.