Permission to Feel Your Feelings
I’m a mental health counselor and therefore I offer guidance to people and help them navigate life issues. Oftentimes that involves identifying feelings and emotions and learning how to feel those feelings and respond accordingly.
You know the phrase “practice what you preach”? Well, recently I had to come face to face with my own advice. I was smacked upside the head with a hard truth: I often make excuses for how I feel.
I don’t always give myself room to simply feel my feelings. And I’m a counselor! Feelings are my specialty!
Just a few weeks ago my 17-year-old son hurt my feelings. If you’ve been there, done that, raised a teen, I imagine you’re thinking get used to it.
You see, I don’t cry and I don’t let anyone see me cry…for the most part, unless I’m shedding a tear over a movie.
But I cried in front of my son and then I cried in front of my husband…like a baby. (Not so much in front of my son, I just rushed out of the room…anyway…)
So I was thinking about it still a day or two later.
I had thoughts like why did I react like that? and I bet it was hormones.
You have permission to feel your feelings. It's okay not to be okay all the time. #mentalhealthmatters #youmatter Click To Tweet
Here I am, a counselor who talks about feeling your feelings, giving yourself permission, and yet I was trying to explain mine away.
I was wondering if my little breakdown was due to raging hormones.
But I had to stop myself and say it doesn’t matter. What matters is that in that moment, my feelings were hurt and I cried. Period. Simple as that.
I was hurt. I was sad. Likely to my guys it was an overreaction, but it was my reaction nonetheless.
I’ve been talking about checking in with yourself and with others. Asking how you REALLY are.
You have permission to feel your feelings. I have permission to feel my feelings.
And they may not always seem to correlate correctly – if there is such a thing. A seemingly minor thing might be the thing to throw you off.
These are difficult and trying times for ourselves as individuals as well as for us in community with others…friends, family, co-workers. Everyone has their own reaction and response to what’s going on. There really is no right or wrong. The only problem is when we judge ourselves or others, or when we refuse to honor who we are where we are right now.
I cried. I talked to my husband. Then I went back and talked to my son. We’re all okay. I’m okay. But I wasn’t okay in that moment, and that was okay too. It’s okay not to be okay all the time.
When I say I’m in this with you…whether it is the current times or the healthy living journey, really I am in it with you. I’m learning and growing along the way as well. I don’t get it right all the time. I just hope it’s helpful when I share these personal experiences and the things God Is trying to teach me.
“In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:19 (NKJV)
Our feelings are safe with the Lord. He invites us to bring them to Him so that He can comfort us. Spend time with Him today.
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