Freedom from Emotional Stuckness

“The launching pad for emotional freedom is always yourself.” ~ Judith Orloff

Last week I told you a personal story about how I discovered I was feeling stuck emotionally because I hadn't given myself the time to acknowledge and honor my feelings. As a result, my stuck emotions were screaming for attention in the form of some interesting physical, mental and emotional energy “mishaps” if you will. So, if you think you’ve got some stuck emotions that might just be wreaking havoc on your life… then this is for you.

Odds are high that at some point in your life, you’ve buried some emotions inside of you that could be holding you back in your life. You may not be consciously aware of these stuck emotions on a daily basis… but they may very likely be keeping you stuck and robbing you of precious emotional bandwidth that could be used for more peace and happiness in your life.

Maybe your unprocessed emotions show up in the form of unexpected anger toward your loved ones… or as an unreasonable amount of resentment or judgment towards people you don’t know. (Sounds like half of our world right now.) Or maybe, like my recent experience, they simply show up as tiredness, discontent, and brain fog (lack of focus).

Whatever the case, stuck emotions can hold you back in every area of your life if you don’t allow yourself to process those emotions. And often, they are subconsciously stuck so we may not even know its emotional stuckness that is manifesting itself in our physical and mental wellbeing, but it is. So today, I want to give you some simple but powerful tips on how to identify and allow your emotions the space they need to flow through so you can heal and move forward.

The Ten S’s To Emotional Freedom

Space – Give yourself the physical, mental and emotional space to feel. This may mean scheduling some down time in your calendar, finding a place you feel comfortable that is free from distractions or interruptions. Or clearing your mental space from thoughts or worries. The Release Meditation Technique is a great way to clear that mental space.

Safety – Make sure the space you choose is somewhere you feel safe and secure. Then remind yourself that it is safe to feel. Trust that it is okay to allow those feelings to surface. Let go of your own self judgement about yourself and how you are processing the feelings. Give your heart the safety and security it needs to open up freely.

Stillness – Too often what we try to do is push through. We keep ourselves busy, so we don’t have the time to feel or allow our feelings to surface. So, challenge yourself to just simply be still. This stillness will help tremendously with the next two steps.

Silence – The voice in your head that is always shouting at you needs to be silent so you can truly hear what your heart and soul are telling you. Often our mind chatter won’t allow those whispers from our heart to be heard. So be silent and let them be heard.

Sense – Sense where in your body you feel the emotions. The body does not lie so if you do have emotions that are stuck, you can usually feel the discomfort in your body. It isn’t uncommon for people to find relief from an ongoing pain after they have released stuck emotions. So pay attention to what your body is telling you.

Scribe – Journal about what comes up for you. Where do you feel the emotions in your body? Where are the emotions rooted in your past? What experience had brought them to the surface or made them a little sensitive? What do you need to release the emotion? How will you move forward?  

Scribble – Sometimes the mind can’t completely process what the body is feeling. Yet if we free the mind, it can release even more expression of emotion when it’s not restricted to conform to words or lines. So although scribing (aka writing or journaling) is a phenomenal way to release emotions and express thoughts, if you find that you’re stuck to find the words, then channel your inner child and allow yourself to scribble, doodle or draw.

Slow – Don’t try to rush this. Let the emotions come as they will. This is a process. So be slow and gentle with yourself and this process. There is no magical timeline for grief. Or for healing from any other experience or emotion. Just take it slow.

Self-Care – When you are doing this type of work, self-care is a must. It may feel exhausting as often the negative emotions can consume a lot of energy. It can also be very, well… very emotional. So give yourself some grace and give yourself a little extra attention. Because we do tend to hold emotions in our body in different places, getting a massage can be a great addition to this process. Whatever the case, massage, walk in nature, nap, etc. be certain you are taking care of yourself.  

Support – Who do you have in your corner to help you feel safe and supported? We are not meant to go through life alone and we are certainly not meant to suffer or struggle alone. So know who you can count on for support. Do you have someone who can walk this journey with you? If you don’t feel comfortable sharing what you are going through with anyone you know then seek a professional. In my work, all conversations with my clients are confidential and judgement free. So whether it’s me or another professional that you seek, just make sure you are not alone. Get support.

My hope for you is that you will find relief and freedom from the emotions that have been keeping you stuck.

Note: Emotions don’t usually just instantly go away. So, it’s likely you’ll need to repeat this process. And can be used any time new emotions show up, so be sure to bookmark this page.

Not sure who or where to find the support you are seeking? Let's chat! Schedule a KickStart Strategy Session today to begin the journey to emotional freedom now.