Self Care Reflection: Letting the Tears Flow
Beloveds! This weekend during Zoom class Meira reflected a self care win that I want to highlight.
She shared what she’s been going through and she was proud that she was taking time and space to feel feelings and let tears flow. Usually she doesn’t always feel feelings right away. This is in spite of other folks in her life not crying.
I wanted to reflect on this because I think this is a huge victory for two big reasons! First, it’s hard to feel feelings and be present for hard situations. If you can navigate both your feelings and the present situation that’s incredible. Making space to be honest with yourself (the hardest and most essential thing we do is personal honesty) about your feelings and holding space for them to flow through is so vital! Three cheers Meira!!
Only speaking for me, but I’m totally great in a crisis because my feelings can get stuffed and I can stay present for what’s going on. But that’s a trauma response I have and isn’t actually a great coping skill for feelings! And when I try to stuff too many feelings for too long I end up hitting a big wall and having to deal with things when they’re bigger and harder.
Emotions are energy in motion and they want to flow! I know whenever I go through something like that I have to make space for the question “How am I really feeling?”
The second thing I wanted to note is that just because others around you aren’t reacting or sharing feelings doesn’t make it wrong for YOU to have YOUR feelings.
Every human is different and gets to be different and have different coping strategies. And usually the one who is active in healing work (hopefully that’s you) is the one whose coping strategies aren’t creating more work for later. Trust your own body, mind and emotions! Do your own work and try not to let the actions of others hold you back from what you know you need.
Hopefully this reflection helps you—this was great for me to hear! Thanks so much for sharing Meira and for all the FKDP regulars at Zoom class!