The 1-Word Shift to Decrease Negative Emotions

You are not your emotions.

When you feel a difficult or uncomfortable emotion, you likely find yourself thinking--and maybe even saying aloud--"I am [insert difficult emotion here]." Let's say, for example, you're feeling stressed with everything you have to get done before the holiday weekend. You find yourself saying again and again, whether to yourself in your head or to others, "I am stressed." Now, first of all, while it's not good to feel stressed for prolonged periods of time, it is a good thing that you're able to articulate how you are feeling in the moment. However, the way you're articulating your feelings has you identifying too closely with your emotions. The truth is you are NOT stress. Nor are you happiness or sadness or grief or any of the other infinite human emotions. Who you are is so much more than a single emotion or even any combination thereof. So, the fastest way to shift a challenging emotion is to stop identifying with it so closely. How do you do that? By simply adding one word: feeling. Instead of "I am stressed," say, "I am feeling stressed." Notice the subtle shift there? The emotion is no longer an identify marker; it's simply something you are experiencing. This doesn't mean the stress will quickly disappear. But the power of your language does signal to your subconscious the reminder that this feeling is temporary. In this way we subliminally communicate with our own nervous systems that we are, in actuality, safe. With this shift, you can then rationalize, strategize, and think more creatively & productively. Once you've regulated your nervous system just enough in this way, it's then time to sit with the emotion. Because you have to feel it to heal it. Leaning how to do that with grace is a big part of the Embracing Discomfort program: sitting with challenging emotions, feeling them, and then uncovering what they have to teach you. Today, September 1, is the last day to enroll.

If you have even the slightest nudge that this might be for you, send me a message NOW for a complimentary assessment call to make sure this is the right move for you. Together with the other members, you'll be strengthening your mental & emotional resilience, learning to set powerful intentions & follow through, and improving your physical health & fitness at the same time. In the meantime, the next time you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed by a challenging emotion, remind yourself: "I am feeling this way, but it is not who I am. This is not the total summation of my life." With Fierce Love, Chazz