In My Feelings
Emotion work begins with gently embracing the understanding that at any moment, we are experiencing a feeling—or perhaps a mix of them. Emotions move like waves, rising and falling, shifting from one into another. They may grow stronger, soften, or transform, sometimes suddenly, especially in response to what’s happening around us. What’s important to remember is that feelings are always in motion—they come and go, each making space for the next. And even when we’re not fully aware of them, our feelings are still present, quietly shaping our inner world.
For some, focusing on your feelings can feel conflicted or even controversial. It makes sense—life is complex, and there's so much more to it than just how we feel. There are deeper truths, values, and beliefs that don’t always align with our emotions, especially in the moment.
When I speak about tuning into how you feel, it’s not to override or dismiss those truths or beliefs. Quite the opposite. It's to help you connect more deeply, so you can see those truths and beliefs with greater clarity and presence. It’s completely understandable that focusing on your feelings might bring up some inner conflict.
When I invite you to notice how you feel, it’s not about prioritizing emotions over truth or belief. It’s about creating space to feel what’s moving through your body, so you can access those deeper truths with more clarity and grounding. Emotions are signals—part of your nervous system’s way of communicating. By attuning to them gently, you’re not abandoning logic or wisdom—you’re integrating them, making space for your whole self to be present.
Allowing ourselves to feel an emotion—really sensing it in the body—creates the conditions for it to move and eventually release. Emotional processing doesn’t happen in the mind alone; it involves the limbic system of the brain and is deeply rooted in the body’s experience. Each emotion carries a unique felt sense—a physical, inner sensation that shows up in different areas of the body.
When we’ve experienced trauma, these sensations can linger, leaving imprints in the nervous system that contribute to a dysregulated stress response. Learning to gently attune to these felt senses helps us begin to process what’s stored in the body. This connection between body, emotion, and awareness is essential for true healing and well-being.
When we meet our emotions with gentle curiosity, we begin to uncover their deeper purpose and wisdom. Rather than trying to fix or avoid them, we can ask more inviting questions that help build a more compassionate relationship with what we’re feeling. These questions allow us to listen to our emotions and attend to their function with care:
How strong does this sensation feel right now, on a scale of 1 to 10?
Does this feeling seem familiar—have I known it before?
How comfortable or uncomfortable is this experience in my body?
If it had a color, what color would it be?
What might have triggered or stirred this feeling?
What meaning could this hold for me?
What might this emotion be trying to communicate or protect me from?
These questions aren’t meant to solve or analyze, but to gently explore. They help us connect with the felt sense of emotion and support a healing, respectful dialogue with our inner world.
