FEELINGS:

~

Why do we struggle so with our feelings? Why do
we work so hard to deny our emotions, especially
concerning other people?

In the course of a day, we may deny we feel
frustrated in reaction to someone who is selling
us a service.

We may deny that we feel frustrated, angry, or
hurt in reaction to a friend.

We may deny feelings of fear, or anger, toward
our children.

We may deny a whole range of feelings toward our
spouse or our significant other.

We may deny feelings provoked by people we work
for, or by people that work for us.

Sometimes the feelings are a direct reaction to
others. Sometimes people trigger something deeper
– an old sadness or frustration.

Regardless of the source of our feelings, they
are still our feelings. We own them. And acceptance
is often all that is necessary to make them go away.

We don't have to let our feelings control our
behavior. We don't have to act on each feeling
that passes through us.

It does help to talk about our feelings with
someone we trust. Sometimes we need to bring our
feelings to the person who is triggering them.
That can breed intimacy and closeness. But the
most important person we need to tell is ourselves.
If we allow our feelings to pass through us,
accept them, and release them, we shall know what
to do next.