Don't Be Your Feelings, Feel Your Feelings

How many times have you said “I am sad today” or “I am happy” or “I am angry”, etc? If you’re like me, you do it a lot. We tend to get caught up in the moment and consider our current state to be permanent. But have you ever really thought of the meaning behind what you’re saying? Do you understand its literal denotation? By saying you are “sad”, “happy”, “angry”, “fat”, or “needy”, you are unintentionally giving those feelings an identify. By giving them an identity, you are giving them power. Most people avoid feelings because of their power (or perceived power). We hear time and time again how people can’t handle feelings because they either don’t know how to experience them or because they are wary of them. There’s no reason to fear feelings. You are not just your feelings. Instead of saying “I am sad” practice saying “I feel sad.” By doing the latter, you’re not giving the feeling power. You’re not letting it take on an identity and dictate who you are. But you’re still able to acknowledge it and work through it. A feeling is defined as “a consciousness or vague awareness.” There is a clear difference between being aware of something versus actually being something. Do you see where I’m going with this? Practice being aware of your feelings instead of allowing them to define and control you. The more conscious and aware you are, the more opportunities you have to create your own experiences and associations when it comes to feelings. They don’t have to be negative or scary or defining.