Embracing the Uncomfortable: Discovering life's richness by challenging society's discomforts.
I find it sad that our world is one where societal norms dictate what emotions are acceptable and that usually only means the comfortable ones.
As a highly sensitive person, I am fortunate that I have not allowed how other people feel about my emotions to stop me from expressing them. I can’t say I haven’t felt shitty about it though - feeling like people don’t want to be around me because of the risk of potentially making them uncomfortable.
I’ve often chosen isolation as an easier option… As I am typing away on my laptop while sitting at a bar at my favorite sushi spot.
I cry OFTEN - happy, sad, frustrated, dreaming… any reason, really, I cry. And I can think of dozens and dozens of times noticing the people closest to me looking around to see who was watching when my tears started to flow.
After YEARS of inner work, I realized how much this influenced my interpretation of my feelings being less important than other people’s. I’m lucky that I’ve realized these things. I’ve been able to do a lot of healing around it. But sadly, I realize that is not the experience most Highly Sensitive People have.
Addressing the uncomfortable aspects of life becomes awkward, shunned, judged, feared, and needing to be “fixed”. I also think it is sad that there are still so many highly sensitive people who don’t know that it is an actual thing and not a judgy title assigned to someone who feels in a big way or cries a lot.
Society has conditioned us to think they have to walk on eggshells to avoid us expressing emotions such as sadness, grief, fear, or vulnerability. This avoidance stems from a collective discomfort, a fear of facing the raw, unfiltered complexities of the human experience. Others not knowing how to “fix” us, often the person with the emotions is made to feel they need to filter to fit in and not make people feel bad or uncomfortable around them. However, it is time to challenge this conditioning and rediscover the joy of addressing these uncomfortable subjects.
The Suppression of Emotions:
From a young age, we are taught to conceal our true feelings. Society sends implicit messages that certain emotions are unwelcome, fostering a culture of emotional suppression. The fear of making others uncomfortable has led us to bury our true essence deep within, creating a facade of neutrality, strength, “I’ll be fine”, and “I know people have it worse than me” even anger instead of hurt, which denies our authentic selves.
Breaking Free from Emotional Chains:
Addressing and dealing with suppressed emotions is not only a journey toward self-discovery but also liberation from societal limitations and stagnation. By acknowledging the discomfort associated with these emotions, we begin to break free from the emotional chains that mute us and dull our experiences. It's time to embrace the complexity of our emotions and recognize the range from highest highs and lowest lows is what makes us as unique and interesting as we are.
The Art of Processing Emotions:
Helping individuals navigate through the maze of suppressed emotions involves developing the skill of emotional recognition. This entails creating a safe space to learn how to feel, really feel, with no shame, guilt, or worry about the feelings being judged - even how easy or how difficult it might be to feel in the first place.
The fun and freedom of working with me is the ease with which you will find you can identify and express your full spectrum of emotions without judgment.
By guiding individuals through this process, I empower them to savor the richness of their emotional experiences. This often creates more meaningful moments and relationships, and a richer more fulfilling life!
Navigating the Ups and Downs:
Life is a rollercoaster of highs and lows, and acknowledging this reality is essential for personal development. Rather than fearing the downs, we should learn to appreciate the contrast they provide to the ups. Each emotion contributes to the mosaic of our existence, making us more resilient, empathetic, and connected to our true selves and others.
Conclusion:
In a society that conditions us to avoid discomfort, there is liberation in uncovering, embracing, and addressing previously suppressed emotions. By guiding individuals through the process of emotional exploration and processing I get to witness them celebrate the complexity of their emotions, finding joy in the ups and downs, and reclaiming the power that comes from living authentically in a world that often encourages conformity.