3490: How to Feel Your Feelings by Rachel Shanken of Mind Body Wise

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[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_00] This is Optimal Living Daily. How to feel your feelings by Rachel Schenken of MindBodyWise.com. And I'm Justin Mollig, your very own personal narrator today and every day. Me narrating means there are no interviews, just a short podcast where we can both improve our lives one day at a time. So with that, let's get right to today's post and start optimizing your life.

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_00] How to feel your feelings by Rachel Schenken of MindBodyWise.com. You may be wondering, why would I want to feel my feelings? Because it's life-changing in many great ways. Here are some ways to connect and begin the practice of feeling your feelings. Number one, catch the feeling.

[00:02:06] [SPEAKER_00] When you become aware of an emotion or feeling bubbling up, notice what situation or interaction preceded it. Check in with your physical response to it. See if you can practice this check-in without attaching a story to the experience. Experiment with letting go for the moment of trying to make sense of it or try and find the why of the feeling. Practicing this presence allows you to be mindful and connected with your entire being in a whole new way.

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_00] Number two, get curious. Our natural tendency is to label our experience. Good, bad, pain, pleasure, I like, I don't like. However, this labeling activity takes us to our thinking mind. And from there, we often go on automatic, which shuts down the opportunity to explore and tune in to what's really going on in the moment. In simpler terms, our brain kicks in and says, ouch, I don't like this feeling.

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_00] And immediately it sends a signal to the body to block, avoid, deny, and numb. Try to catch yourself in the labeling game and play with remaining a curious explorer of your experience. Noticing the nuances of our physical and emotional experiences allow for new openings, presence, awareness, and ultimately more fulfillment in our lives. Number three, give yourself permission.

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_00] You are human, thus you're an emotional being. See if you can release your judgment about feelings or sensations you're having and let go of what others tell you you should or shouldn't be feeling. These are your feelings and because you are a unique being, no one can know what it's like to be in your unique body, your unique mind, or your unique life. Whatever you're feeling is valid. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_00] Number four, welcome the feelings. In order to allow the feelings to flow through us, we need to make a conscious decision to be mindful and honest with ourselves. We have a great opportunity to recognize when we are running away and pause. Noticing that we are blocking sensation and emotion is step one. Step two is acknowledging that we are having feelings. Step three, get ready for it, is to thank your mind and body for alerting you to the feelings,

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_00] whether they are of the feel-good variety or not. Try taking a moment to thank your mind and body for doing its job and protecting you and for providing you with information about yourself that allows you to live a fuller, richer experience of yourself and your life. Number five, know yourself. What helps you to connect? Yoga, meditation, talking with a friend, writing in your journal, going for a walk, drawing, cooking,

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_00] yoga therapy, listening to music, getting a massage. The suggestions I've provided are all great, but I also believe that there are many, many ways to connect to yourself and no one way is the right way. Your job is to find the way or ways that work for you to take time each day to actively connect to your internal experience. Number six, care for yourself. Make you a priority

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_00] and block out time for the things that serve you best in attuning to yourself. If you aren't sure what those are, maybe it's time to consider seeking out the opportunity to explore this further so you can learn what you need. An outside perspective, not necessarily advice, can be helpful. Consider talking to a friend who knows you really well, speaking to a mentor, hiring a life coach, and you already know some of my favorite ways, setting up a counseling session with a licensed professional

[00:05:53] [SPEAKER_00] and or booking a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy session. Even one session yields a lot of new insight and growth. And number seven, acknowledge yourself. It takes courage to decide to become attuned to your internal experience and to open yourself up to the unknown. It takes a great deal of commitment, self-love, and self-care. Acknowledge and affirm yourself each and every time you give yourself this gift. It's a loving, caring, and honest commitment

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_00] that'll serve you again and again. Note, it's less important what you do to connect than the fact that you are in awareness and receptivity about having your feelings. Notice when you neglect your emotional experience. What happens to your mood, your attitude, your body, your mind? Then bring yourself back to mindfulness and awareness. Good news, this is a practice, and like most things, it gets easier the more you do it.

[00:06:51] [SPEAKER_00] Also, it can be practiced with joy and excitement, like traveling to a country you've never before visited. Enjoy the journey. You just listened to the post titled, How to Feel Your Feelings, by Rachel Schenken of mindbodywise.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Thank you to Rachel. Number one was catching the feeling and checking in with your physical response to it.

[00:07:19] [SPEAKER_00] This is easier said than done if you haven't tried it. It definitely takes practice. And like she said, practice makes it a little bit easier. Not to be a broken record if you've been listening to this show for a while, but meditation for me is what helps here. But she made a great point in number five as well. What actually works for you? It's up to you to find that out. Maybe it's not a meditation, which is totally fine. It could be yoga, writing, listening to music,

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_00] any of those things she mentioned, or something completely different. We're all unique, and we all have our own quirks. And what works for me probably won't work for you. The more we try new things and actually give it a chance, the better position will be to know what works best for us. And that's why I offer lots of different authors on this show with many different perspectives. So try something out today that can help you optimize your life. Have a great weekend if you're listening in real time,

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_00] and I'll catch you tomorrow, where your optimal life awaits.