My whole life I have been someone who has felt too much, thought too deep, & cried too easily. I could never understand why my emotions weren't as stable as others. Why was it that the things that effect me so much, are so easily brushed off by others? It made me feel weak, less than, & became a constant source of shame on myself. This last year, I've been more of an emotional wreck than ever before & through it all, I have come to learn a lot about emotional self-care. First of all, what sense does it make when you're in a sensitive emotional state- for ANY reason- to sit there & shame yourself for feeling that way? (wish I could have figured that one out about 22 years ago haha) Your soul was created this way for a very specific reason. Your tender heart & depth are gifts you were given, not shameful things to hide away. Learning to ACCEPT who you are & what you feel is the biggest step you will take in this self-care journey. After all, how are you supposed to care for something you don't understand? If you're sitting there reading this trying to understand how to get to that place, well I can't tell you because it's an ongoing journey for me too- but I can tell you some things that have helped:
+ Prayer. The power behind our prayers, no matter what you believe in, is so much greater than anything earthly we could do.
+ Journaling. Pour out your heart, feel all your emotions & don't hold back. Sometime putting things out there gives us so much more clarity on what we really are experiencing or feeling.
+ Guided meditations. This is a big step in learning to be mindful and present in our world, something that can ease those anxious, worrisome feelings we experience.
+ Gratitude journal. I say journal because I know a lot of people like the physical aspect of having something tangible to do, but even if all this is a simple, daily reminder of 3 things that you are grateful for, it can shift our focus & perspective onto the right things.
"Let go of who you think you're supposed to be & be who you are." -Brene Brown.
I love you guys! Xoxo, Em.