Emotions and Forgiveness
We all have emotions, ranging from ones that feel good, to ones that do not!
And too many of us are kept captive by feelings we associate as ‘negative’.
Being hard on ourselves is a common tendency that many of us share and many of us can feel emotions that can leave us confused, upset, or feeling shame. This is no way to live! If we allow our emotions to take over in this way, we can be holding on to a lot of negative energy.
On the flip side, we have a lot to gain when we release the energy we hold onto.
All emotions are normal and necessary
Repeat after me! “All emotions are normal and necessary.”
So, let’s first start by truly believing this.
Then we can move towards balancing our emotions – that is, understanding whether they are helpful or unhelpful.
For example, anger is my default emotion and my body’s response is to cry when I am experiencing anger in an unhealthy way. The catch with this is that I then become frustrated from crying instead of communicating effectively, which leads to more anger and then, you guessed it, more crying! I am still working on my emotional intelligence, particularly recognising my emotions.
What I have learnt so far is:
1. That emotions are neither good nor bad
2. Knowing and understanding emotions is integral to increase your own self-awareness
3. This is also an ongoing process
4. The magic lies in knowing when an emotion is healthy or unhealthy.
Emotions and Forgiveness
Forgiveness can be understood as a deliberate decision to let go of anger or resentment.
However, while you may be quite generous in your ability to forgive others, you may be much harder on yourself.
That’s because we are our own biggest critics! The majority of our expectations come from ourselves. We set high expectations and goals, and when we don't meet them, we criticise ourselves harshly. This self-criticism can lead to feelings of sadness, guilt, and anxiety, and can even contribute to mental health issues like depression.
Learning to be easier on ourselves is an important step towards improving our mental health and well-being.
In a world that often values perfection and achievement, it can be challenging to shift our mindset to one of self-compassion and acceptance.
However, by practicing self-forgiveness, self-care, and self-compassion, we can release negative energy and emotion. When we free ourselves from this energy, we are lighter, we are clearer, and we feel like we have more energy.
Tips for forgiving yourself and releasing your energy
“The more you know yourself, the more you forgive yourself.” ― Confucius
In this fast-paced and often stressful world, managing emotions and forgiving ourselves can be challenging. But with practice, we can develop the skills to better understand our emotions, regulate them effectively, and cultivate a deeper sense of self-forgiveness.
During my neurolinguistic programming training (NLP), I learnt a technique called timeline therapy (TM). The theory is based around travelling your timeline and looking down on the situation to collect the learnings. It is also a great therapy to release emotions.
In the She Energy book I give you a simple exercise by yourself whilst laying down.
Other ways you can work through these emotions and techniques can include:
Journaling to better understand your internal monologue
Breathing exercises to give yourself some grace
Working with a coach or NLP practitioner
Taking time to understand our emotions and practise self-forgiveness gives us the opportunity to move forward and fill that space with energy that serves us!
Let’s understand our power and our energies.
Are you looking for a deeper understanding of who you truly are? Maybe you’d like to learn how to get in touch with your energy? You can buy the book, She Energy here.