This is not a "should" list for you. This is not step by step instructions on how to manage the big feels. This is just a little share. From my heart to yours.
Most of the time, my yoga is not tricky poses executed on my mat. Although I love to flow through a Sun Salutation, my daily practice is often a bit more subtle than that. For me, the magic is when I can find the flow within myself, in my breath.
The moments that stand out to me are the ones when I feel like I am suddenly swept up, pulled under, by the unrelenting weight of the waves of my own emotions.
This might be triggered by something external (like when I am listening to the news and feel scared/sad/worried/angry about the invasion of Ukraine.)
OR this might be triggered by something internal, like a sudden feeling of panic in times of simple decision making.
I start by telling myself that it is OK to feel the way I feel. Nothing is more frustrating when you are angry than someone dismissing you and saying, "Don't be angry."
So, I briefly allow it, rather than try to shut it out.
Then I try to find the place in my heart, in my body, that feels like the familiar safety of flow. Tapping into my inhale and exhale, I try to calm myself, so I no longer feel like my emotions are flailing out of control in the crashing waves. I visualize the water becoming calmer, a gentle rise and fall that I can synchronize with my breath.
We live in a world that is full of unpredictable waves. I am dedicated to deepening my understanding of my emotions and how to move through my big feelings. At the end of the day, we are all just fragile human beings, with big complex feelings. So let's keep reaching for the tools (such as yoga, journaling, meditation, exercise, therapy, cooking, reading, breathwork, visualization, and whatever else helps you) so we can understand ourselves and each other more fully.
Thank you for being who you are. Thank you for showing up for yourself.
It's OK to feel the way you feel.
With Gratitude,
Lindsay