Working with your negative feelings (not against them)

Do you often give yourself a hard time when you’re not feeling great? Do you tell yourself that you shouldn’t be feeling that way? Do you try to ignore how you’re feeling and put on a brave face to those around you? Do you perhaps take it out on someone who doesn’t really deserve it?

Or, do you feel bad that you are feeling bad?

You’re not alone! I sometimes wake up with a sense of dread at facing my to do list! I feel like I’m racing against the clock and it’s overwhelming. I feel like I don’t always have the energy to face the day and it doesn’t feel good.

When negative emotions shows up, the tendency is to ignore how you are feeling, or to sweep it under the carpet and hope that it might go away. Ignoring how you are feeling generally gives it fuel to continue and make you feel worse.

So, try these 3 steps and give yourself a break for a few minutes when any negative feelings keep showing up and trying to ruin your day:

  1. Acknowledge – notice exactly how you’re feeling right now. Admit to yourself that you are feeling low and don’t have your usual energy and enthusiasm.
  2. Accept – it’s ok to feel a bit rubbish. No one has limitless energy and there are times when things are tough. Perhaps there’s something going on and you need time to work though the challenge.
  3. Allow – give yourself permission to have a bad day. Nothing is permanent and your feelings and emotions are always changing. Know it will pass. Maybe not right now, but perhaps later today or tomorrow.

We give ourselves a hard time when we’re not feeling great. We are often our own worst critic.

Notice the internal mind chatter. Are you giving yourself a hard time? Can you be kinder to yourself? After all, kindness starts within :).

Remember: start small, and build from there. 

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