How often do you find yourself feeling an old emotion in your life?
How many times do you find yourself in the evening thinking about that man who thoughtlessly pushed in front of you in the queue for the bus? And yes, you still feel like saying really mean words to him.
I often catch myself entangled in such feelings from the past, feelings that no longer serve me any purpose, yet continue to guide my state of mind and how I behave.
Without realising, we connect these feelings together or we become unable to turn off the emotion button when we no longer need it … I believe that there may be different causes and reasons for this. I no longer care how these emotions felt. I know most of us would like to learn to give them up, to let them go.
Stop and observe: this is perhaps one of the hardest things to do when we are in a rage of moods or angry, for example. However, it is recommended that you train that capacity.
Some people find it useful to write down the facts in a schedule of events, and then watch the story unfold, as if someone else told it.
Changes in the way you use your body: we know from several experiments that the way we use our body creates different emotions and this can be really useful when it comes to giving up an emotion. Play with your face, grimace. Wrinkle your forehead and open up your eyes. Move on, create a different movement.
Accept: it is very interesting to recognize that the more we struggle to stop/contain a certain emotion or feeling, the more it seems to invade us personally. How you felt at any time of the day was simply you, doing the best you could. Accept it and let the rest go.
Giving up an emotion simply means that it has done its part in your life, it was felt when it should have been felt. Clinging on to it will not make you a better person. If the emotion adds no value or no longer promotes a healthy state of mind, let it go.
Know that quitting is a form of wisdom.
Ligia Ramos * In2Motivation
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