In Melbourne, we are currently in stage 4 restrictions, which includes curfews. This has resulted in many being restricted in their movement, meaning more time spent at home and less time being distracted by the outside world.
When we have more time at home, with less distractions, we have more time to think, to ruminate, to consider our lives. For many, the inner dialog turns quite negative. We can no longer run away and distract ourselves from what we consider our inner failings. We can try to continue ignoring them and turn to disruptive and unproductive behaviours such as drinking alcohol or scrolling social media, or we can take this time to purposefully retreat from the world and heal the inner parts of ourselves that we have ignored for so long.
While the second option seems difficult, and for some it may be, the healing we do now will be long lasting, and life changing.
I remember when I worked through healing my depression almost 8 years ago, while it was a year long process, those tools I learned, and the understanding I gained are now serving me in this current pandemic.
Just like most, I am experiencing a myriad of emotions from sadness, anger, and fear of uncertainty about the future. But with the knowledge I gained 8 years ago, I now have an awareness of my own inner dialog and am able to apply what I leaned to raise my emotional state to one of calmness, peace and even joy.
The first thing we all need to remember at this time is that we are not alone. Our family, friends and neighbours are all experiencing strong emotions as well. Remembering that we are not alone can help us to also remember that everyone processes grief, fear and anger in different ways. In this understanding, we may be able to find some sort of acceptance of others’ behaviours so that it doesn’t impact our state of inner peace.
Placing our awareness and attention towards ourselves and our own inner peace is what will change our life. Processing our anger, sadness and fears now will set us up for future successes that we may not yet be able to imagine.
An Exercise in Emotional Awareness
The first step is become aware of your emotions. Ask yourself,
“How am I feeling?”
Spend some time listening and acknowledging what comes through and write them down.
Next, see if you can identify where these emotions began.
- Was there are childhood trauma or a pattern of behaviour that was created in your childhood? Patterns of behaviour can be a result of watching how your parents got what they wanted in life or learning that if you acted a certain way, it resulted in getting what you wanted.
- Was it something someone said to you and you have held onto that conversation for far too long?
- Is it the way your continually speak to yourself? Do you use kind or condescending words when chatting to yourself?
Whether or not you can identify where these emotions began, the next step is to show yourself compassion. Just as others process emotions differently, so do you. Different emotions may show up in different ways, at different times. There is no right or wrong. We are human beings experiencing life. And experiencing life includes experiencing emotions. You learn through your emotions. You learn what you want and don’t want in life. Your emotions are your compass in life and when you understand that, you can then make the decision to move through the emotion and make decisions and take action that is best for you.
* * * * *
An Exercise in Releasing Emotions
As a kinesiologist I understand that emotions can get stuck in our energetic body – our meridian system, our aura, our chakras, our cells.
To release these stuck emotions, try the following exercise I have created and use with my clients.
Close your eyes and tune in to where this emotion is sitting in your body. Notice any colours, shapes or textures. Notice if it reminds you of anything.
Ask yourself if you are ready to release this emotion. This may seem like a funny thing to ask, but for some, we feel our emotional baggage keeps us safe (that is a discussion another time).
Activate the pressure point Stomach 41 by rubbing the point. As you do imagine that you are loosening the “stuck” emotion from your body.
Then begin to tap this point. As you do, imagine the emotion is releasing from your body. In your imagination, see and feel it moving or melting away from your body. Do this for a few minutes or until you feel it release.
Stop tapping the point and tune back into the space where the emotion resided. How does it feel there now? If you wish, you can place a beautiful colour in that place, such as pink for love, white for purity or blue / green for healing.
Over the next few days, notice if that emotion is triggered again and how it is triggered. If it is, notice if it is in the same place or an alternative place and repeat the process.
If it continues you may need to reach out for help from a professional kinesiologist.
If you notice that you are no longer triggered with that emotion or the intensity has decreased, that’s great. You have made a huge shift in your life and have begun moving towards a brighter and happier future.
Please reach out if there is something I can help you with or if you wish to book an appointment.
And remember, Happiness Starts with a Smile and Empowerment Starts with a Smile!
