Just a little reminder! Not every feeling or thought is desirable or welcome, but the more you try to push a feeling down or reject it, the more it will stick around! What we resist, persists.
Try instead to be curious about your feelings, like they’re guests arriving for tea. Invite them in, sit down, and explore! If you’re feeling envious (such an uncomfortable feeling!) don’t shame yourself! Sit down with your envy and figure out what’s at the root of it. Are you feeling “less than”? Did you get stuck in the comparing and contrasting trap? Are you shoulding on yourself? Where is the envy showing up in your body? How is it affecting your breathing or the way you’re holding yourself? What’s the quality of your inner dialogue around the feeling? Are you berating yourself or practicing compassion? That’s just one example!
All our feelings are an invitation to get to know ourselves more deeply and to cultivate friendliness toward our very human ups and downs. Feelings pass, after all. This is one way to develop more compassion for ourselves and others.
Next time you have an uncomfortable thought or feeling, pause, breathe, and have some tea with it! Chances are, once that feeling has been acknowledged and understood, it will move on and get carried away by the wind!
Sending love and hugs to all,
Ally Hamilton Hewitt
If the posts are helpful, you can find my books here and my yoga classes and courses here!
I like your quote Ally; “what we resist, persists,” I use a similar one, “what we deny, we are tied to.” Another that I struggle with at times is that “feelings are neither good or bad, they just are.” In any case they all, give us the opportunity to examine them and change them as needed without self-judgement. The older I get the more I don’t know. Bummer !! 🙂
I’m glad this resonated with you, Randy! And that isn’t my saying, it’s a saying that’s out there in the world, but it’s a good one! I like yours, too! Sending you tons of love, friend xx