Your Feelings Aren’t the Problem—They’re Your Compass
Sponsored By Living Fully
by Lauren Taub Cohen, M.S. Ed., SEP
Sponsored Content
What if the discomfort you’re trying to get rid of is actually guiding you toward what you need most?
So often we try to fix those uncomfortable feelings or quiet them down, as if there’s something wrong with them. And, that makes sense. Anxiety isn’t comfortable, nor is regret, anger, doubt, grief, exhaustion and the list goes on. But those uncomfortable feelings are often misunderstood signals leading you back to yourself and what matters.
You know how when you get into a car that’s not your own, there can be that “oh-this-doesn’t-feel-right” feeling? So you begin to make adjustments. You begin lowering this, tilting that until you arrive at what feels good enough.
But, it was that initial “oh-this-doesn’t-feel-right” feeling that guided you to make those adjustments so you could find a more comfortable way of sitting. The same can be said of our inner world. Let me offer a taste of this process …
Settling In
You might take some time to get comfortable where you are and then let awareness come more and more to your whole body. Maybe, feeling the support of what you’re sitting upon and noticing where your body meets and receives that support. Allowing your body to be just as it is and feel as it does.
Sensing Without Labeling
Then, if it feels right, letting your awareness come more and more into that whole inner area of your body. And just taking some time to notice how you are right now … the mood that’s there or the weather within. See if you can sense what’s there without rushing to label it or judge it. I know, that’s hard to do!
Letting it Describe Itself
See if there’s a body feel that comes with that mood … maybe, there’s a heaviness, grippiness or tightness. Perhaps, it’s more like a swirl or something else. You may not even have words for it and that’s okay. Just notice what’s true for you. And if a description like heavy or knotted comes then check that description back with that place to see if it fits or feels right. Allowing the description to change as it needs to. It's also okay if the description doesn’t make sense or feels random. Whatever comes is welcome.
Relating, Not Fixing
Then, you might say inwardly or out loud to this place, “Hello, I know you’re there.” And if what’s there feels really strong, then you can bring a gentle hand to that place as a way of communicating, “Hello, I know you’re there.” You’re not trying to change it, fix it, soothe it, or hush it. You’re just keeping this place company, so that it feels less alone.
As you keep this place company, you might notice how your body feels … if there’s been any shifts. Maybe there’s a bit more space or a little more ease. If so allowing that to be there as well. Noticing that both can be there. That place feeling the way it does and a bit more space. Both are there.
As a way of ending this process, see if it would feel right to thank your body.
How’d that go? Did it feel different to approach your inner experience in a welcoming, unhurried, purely listening-not-trying-to-change-it kind of way? There’s much more to this process, but my hope is that maybe you experienced even a subtle shift, a bit more ease.
Over the years, I’ve realized what's in the way, guides the way. The experience of having a problem is actually your body’s way of communicating something is missing and something is needed so you can live more fully and be more authentically you.
And, as you begin turning towards those uncomfortable feelings in a warm, welcoming, and unhurried way, what’s there will begin to shift and you’ll find yourself feeling better, without any pushing, forcing, or fixing. Over time, those small shifts add up to real, lasting change.
If what you’ve tried hasn’t led to lasting change, let’s chat! Schedule a free call to explore working together.
Living Fully offers a unique body-based approach to healing and wellbeing—one that doesn’t require you to fix yourself, manage your thoughts, or change your feelings in order to feel better and live more fully.
