The Joy of Embracing All of Your Emotions

In this roller-coaster world of emotions do you ever feel determined to allow yourself to embrace only those emotions which meet your comfort, energy level and timely needs? Do you find no joy in embracing all emotions?

So did Henri.

Henri didn’t understand why permitting both (what we label as) comfortable and uncomfortable emotions made any sense.

“Why would I want to allow myself time for unpleasant emotions? Everyone knows it is much easier and more pleasant to embrace the good vibes than the not-so-good vibes.”

Henri has since realized the error of his thinking.

When he learned how interconnected emotions are, a whole new world opened up for him. He now experiences the wonder of getting to know and be comfortable with each emotion. His relationships are deeper and more “real”. He feels more connected to the world around him. And he feels healthier both physically and emotionally.

Can embracing all of your emotions impact your life?

Well, let’s take a closer look at Henri.

Henri had always been a pretty positive, upbeat kind of person.

It is not that grief, anger, hurt, anxiety, etc. were foreign to his life. No, they were there.

But he tried not to make them obvious. He did not want them overshadowing his life.

His way of processing those kinds of emotions was to acknowledge them, reflect on his part in them, and then either dismiss them or package them up and store them away within himself to be addressed again at another time, maybe.

If he could do all that without “bothering” someone else, all the better.

And do you know what? It worked!

He was comfortable, content, and upbeat.

It really was not until he re-examined one of those neatly-packaged emotions, deciding it was time to release, allow himself to fully sit with it and experience it, that he realized what he’d been missing…how much more vivid and vivacious life was meant to be.

Why did that simple yet complex liberation generate such profound transformations in his life?

Emotions manifest physically in our body

Think about it.

When you are happy or excited, your body responds. You might feel tingly, light-hearted or carefree. Your heart might race, triggered from the anticipation or joy. Or it might slow down to a peaceful beat. You welcome the emotions and your physical responses, savoring them as the moments pass. You experience it and move on to the next emotion.

Now, when you are angry or grieving, you might feel your muscles tighten, your heart race or your breathing become heavier. Your body becomes tense. When you deny or bury these emotions, you are also holding on to their physical manifestations. Over time these manifestations accumulate, affecting your physical and emotional health (think of high blood pressure, back pain, heart disease, depression, etc.).

It is healthy to pay attention to your body and allow yourself to feel each emotion. The trick is to experience each emotion as it flows through you, taking the time it needs to fully express itself, and then be ready to welcome the next emotion. It is the holding on, denying, and burying of emotions that is unhealthy.

Emotions influence our actions and reactions

When your body and mind are feeling relaxed and calm, your actions and reactions will mirror that energy. Likewise when your body and mind are feeling tense and agitated.

Your interactions with others are influenced by the energy from which they are created, and sometimes you don’t even realize it.

Being conscious of your emotions, how your body and mind respond to each, and recognizing the stored emotions that might be influencing your choices allows for healthier relationships.

By Henri not fully honoring each emotion, nor opening himself to experiencing them in totality, he was shutting himself off from aspects of his life he hadn’t considered.

Although he thought he was experiencing happiness, joy, love, etc. he wasn’t totally experiencing them.

By minimizing his uncomfortable emotions, he was also minimizing the emotions he enjoyed.

So yes, he was feeling them, but not to the degree that he could have been.

Releasing and opening to fully experience those bottled-up emotions was his turning point.

Once you learn how to embrace all of your emotions for what they truly are, you are more relaxed and joy-filled, your relationships thrive, and your encounters within the spectrum of emotions come to you in 5D, super-vibrant, living color.

You can embrace all of your emotions and coast right into your vibrant life.

Want to find out how?

“Embracing emotions, all emotions, is the key to living a joy filled and passionate life on Earth.”

~Sheila Applegate

In Sheila’s book, Enchanted One: The Portal to Love, and in her Consciously Awesome teachings, you find a roadmap for learning to embrace your emotions. Highlights on this roadmap include:

• Being the observer and the participant

You are often really good at being the participant. You jump into life, full speed ahead. To fully embrace your emotions you also need to be the observer. You need to step aside, take note of which emotions are triggered by which actions, of how your body physically and mentally responds and of the flow of emotion you choose to allow. In doing this you become more consciously aware of how you process your emotions.

• Releasing the buildup of old, suppressed emotions

In today’s society it is pretty natural for you to suppress uncomfortable emotions. As was mentioned earlier, this often results in physical manifestations within your body. Releasing these uncomfortable emotions not only improves your health, but creates an unobstructed flow for all emotions to follow.

• Learning to be present in even the most uncomfortable emotions

Allow yourself to be present in each emotion that you feel without analyzing, judging, or pushing it away. Just BE with it. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but remember that all emotions do move on. Observe yourself.

• Remaining open to the constant flow of unconditional love and grace while experiencing uncomfortable emotions

Yes, you are surrounded by unconditional love and grace. When you open to its infinite flow each experience is then touched by that. Even the most uncomfortable emotions, when experienced while resting into that flow, are not as harsh or traumatic.

• Healing personal story lines related to emotions

Once you notice a pattern of actions or reactions regarding certain emotions, take time to reflect on the significance of this pattern and where it has developed from. Healing your personal story lines breaks the hold over you that certain emotions may trigger.

Each time you open yourself to the flow of unconditional love and to embracing each of your emotions in truest form, you are setting your intention for more vivacious, joy-filled, genuine relationships and the wondrous life you desire.

I was reminded of the impact of embracing all of our emotions through unconditional love and grace recently.

A colleague of mine, unbeknownst to me, had been carrying a heavy burden for many months with regards to the health of one of her loved ones. When I found out about her situation I commented on her grace and peacefulness throughout it all.

She certainly had many fears, doubts, and anxieties to contend with, yet she did not allow them to control her life. She honored those feelings, let them flow, and made space for the joy, peace and love to flow also. Although the health concern remains, she believes she is truly lucky in the grand scheme of things.

Her ability to meet each emotion from a space of love influences the impact of each emotion. Her ups and downs are still there, but she embraces the ride and experiences the full spectrum of emotions with confidence and wonder.

Embracing all emotions with unconditional love and grace makes any roller coaster ride of emotions worth the price.