Do you often find yourself stuck in a state of discontentment, feeling like you are missing out on the joys of life? Our emotions are not only a source of incredible power and energy, but they are also the key to unlocking the secret of true contentment and fulfillment. Through understanding and harnessing the power of emotion, you can learn to create a more meaningful and purposeful life. In this article, we’ll explore the power of emotions and why we often ignore them, as well as how to use them to identify what you truly want in life. So, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s dive in.
Understanding the Power of Emotions
Many of us have been taught to suppress or ignore our emotions. We may have been told that emotions are a sign of weakness or that we should focus on logic and reason instead. However, emotions are a vital part of who we are, and ignoring them can cause us to lose touch with our true desires and passions.
Emotions are neither good nor bad, they are simply helpful. And once you understand that, that is when they become powerful.
“When we deny our emotion, it owns us.” Brene Brown
Why We Often Ignore Our Emotions
Many of us have been conditioned to ignore our emotions due to the fear of being judged or appearing vulnerable. Social media and societal norms often highlight the importance of portraying a perfect life, causing us to hide our true emotions and prioritize the opinions of others over our own. Also, negative experiences from our past around showing our emotions can put us into self-protection mode.
By ignoring our emotions, we are essentially ignoring our own needs and desires, causing us to feel unfulfilled and unhappy. We may find ourselves struggling to identify what truly makes us happy or what path we should take in life.
It’s important to recognize that emotions are a normal and necessary part of the human experience. Instead of suppressing them, we should embrace the power of emotions and use them as a guide to discover our true passions and desires. By acknowledging and understanding our emotions, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and align with our inner being.
“What makes us lonely are the feelings that we never share with anyone.” – Bunny Naidu
Related Post: Embracing Vulnerability and Emotions in Midlife
How to Identify What You Want in Life Through Your Emotions
By tuning in to our emotions, we can get a clearer picture of what really matters to us in life. When we experience certain emotions, whether it be joy, contentment, or even frustration, it’s important to take a step back and ask ourselves why we’re feeling that way. For example, if we feel fulfilled after volunteering at a local shelter, it may be a clear indication that giving back to the community is a priority in our lives. Conversely, if we feel unhappy in our current job, it may be a sign that it’s time to reassess our career path.
By paying attention to our emotions and the underlying reasons for them, we can gain valuable insight into our true desires and passions. This can help us identify what we want in life and make informed decisions about how to achieve those goals.
Recognize the triggers that bring about unpleasant emotions. Emotions like anger, sadness, guilt, impatience, jealousy, unworthiness, etc. What perception do you have of that trigger that is making you feel that way? Does it lead to a limiting belief?
By doing that exercise, you will discover a treasure of limiting beliefs that you can start to dismantle and then start building the life you truly want.
“Instead of resisting any emotion, the best way to dispel it is to enter it fully, embrace it and see through your resistance.” Deepak Chopra
Breaking Free from the Pattern of Ignoring Your Emotions
Many of us are guilty of ignoring our emotions, pushing them aside, or burying them deep down. We convince ourselves that we don’t have time to deal with them, or that they’re unimportant in the grand scheme of things. But the truth is, our emotions are an important part of who we are and play a crucial role in our overall well-being.
One reason why we may ignore our emotions is fear. We may be afraid of what we’ll uncover if we allow ourselves to feel deeply. We may be scared to confront our true desires or to admit that we’re unhappy in our current situation. But by avoiding our emotions, we’re only hurting ourselves in the long run. Staying in a negative emotional state keeps our vibration low and attracts more low vibrations.
Another reason why we may ignore our emotions is that we’re simply too busy. We have so many responsibilities and obligations that we don’t have time to sit down and reflect on how we’re feeling. But prioritizing our emotional well-being is just as important as anything else on our to-do list.
Breaking free from the pattern of ignoring our emotions takes time and effort. It requires us to slow down and take a closer look at what’s going on inside of us. We must be willing to confront our fears and listen to what our emotions are trying to tell us. By doing so, we can gain a clearer understanding of our true selves and what we want out of life. That’s the power of emotions.
“To master your emotions is not to suppress them. It is to process them with diligence, and express them with intelligence.” Kam Taj
What Your Emotions Might Signify
Hate – Hate among strangers is either fear or anger. Hate among friends is the reflection of an emotional love that had conditions that weren’t met. When you recognize hate, take a step back and find the trigger. What makes you afraid or mad? Is it true or necessary? Are you willing to waste your precious time focusing on what you don’t like or can you release it and move on with what brings you joy?
Fear – The only way to stop the feeling of fear is to move forward and beyond it. Use your fears to recognize what you truly need to do. Once you break through your fear, you open up a whole new world.
Sadness or Depression – Depression is the result of feeling powerless or feeling trapped by your life. Can you find one small thing that makes you happy? Maybe it’s seeing the sunshine, listening to music, watching children play, or talking to a friend who loves you. What in life can you look forward to?
Anger – Anger results from a perceived loss of power or control. Take some time to move your body or yell to release the anger. Then find some quiet space to bring your body into a calmer state. Once there, think about what your anger was trying to tell you. Are you trying to control something that isn’t yours to control? Can you allow the other person to figure out their own issues and not take responsibility or feel targeted by their actions? Is anger a distraction to keep moving in the direction of your goals and dreams?
Guilt – Guilt should only serve to teach, not to punish. We are not perfect. When you feel guilt, you may be allowing other people’s expectations to control you. What in your life makes the most sense to you? Do more of that.
Happiness – Joy and happiness signal that you are in alignment with your soul. You are on the right path and should seek out more of that feeling.
“When you love yourself, you don’t have to compare, judge or fear others. You don’t have to look for approval or acceptance from others because you already have it from yourself. It really is at the heart of living your best life. Loving yourself starts with being grateful and appreciative of being alive.” Except from The 5 Ls of Living Marvelously