How to Embrace How You Feel

Sometimes in life we have to learn to embrace our feelings. If you're not doing so already, then now is the time. After all, a better approach would be to realize that your feelings are part of you, and that they are meant to guide you through the experience of life. This then leads to discovering the real purpose of feelings: to help us live in harmony with one another and the world in general.


If you're holding yourself back from expressing your feelings, it's because you're holding yourself back from happiness. When we encounter something that makes us feel happy, excited or proud, we experience an emotional explosion within us. Our hearts explode with love, passion and energy. But because of what we've learned to call "conventional wisdom" most people repress these feelings and keep their happiness inside their head.

If you don't feel this way about a particular situation, or are unsure if you will feel positive or negative results from it, then you're not paying attention to your emotions. And when you pay attention to your emotions you become more aware of your thoughts, your self talk, your habitual thinking patterns, and the reality that lies underneath the surface of whatever situation or thought you're dealing with at the moment. Thus, you will more quickly realize if you are holding yourself back from enjoying life, from experiencing pleasure. And once you do, you'll be happier, healthier and more successful in life.

Once you learn to listen to your "gut feeling" about any given situation, you're well on your way to true happiness and fulfillment. It's hard to ignore your gut feeling when it comes to matters of personal importance. We all have them, and if we don't, we tend to ignore them. Our "gut feelings" are our language, our way of saying, "I feel this way."

Our "gut feelings" also give us clues and warnings about future life experiences. They can indicate that we may have a tendency to procrastinate, or that we could get trapped in a pattern of low accomplishment, low motivation, and low interest in new challenges. These can be symptoms of low self esteem and/or a lack of excitement in life. We may also manifest symptoms of being too comfortable, i.e., of being stuck in "comfort zones." The bottom line is that our "gut feelings" can give us a clue as to where we are in life and what may lie ahead.

When you know what to expect in terms of good and bad, and how you feel about it, you can take action before it becomes a negative experience. For example, if you are expecting to find a great new job, and you have been unsuccessful in the past, and you know you don't have the skills necessary for success, embrace the fact that you're not sure you will be successful, but you will have to try anyway. Instead of becoming discouraged, or letting yourself think you've failed, you can embrace the challenge, accept it, and go forward anyway. You may find that the new job is on its way - all you need to do is to wait for it, and continue to embrace your new belief that you can do it. Embrace how you feel about it when you know it's true and start your journey toward the future you want.

Do something nice for yourself every day: When you feel like you deserve some kind of reward, take time to do something nice for yourself. Find yourself a relaxing, rewarding hobby, or volunteer your time to help others. Not only is this a form of self affirmation, but it is also a wonderful escape from the chaotic, stressful life you are living at the moment. You will find that being around positive, supportive people who love you and care about you will help your mind, body, and spirit to relax and settle into a new positive outlook. If you're still struggling with accepting what is going on in your life, then this act of doing a nice deed will serve to reinforce that you are a worthwhile person, and that you matter.


Remember that your growth comes from within: Whether you like it or not, you were created as a unique human being. Each person goes through life with their own set of challenges, hopes, and dreams. Take advantage of the opportunities before you, and look at them as opportunities to grow and expand your own outlook on life. If you feel that something is missing in your life, or you have a void that is causing you stress and discomfort, see if you can't fill it by volunteering or taking a course. Sometimes, all it takes is a new perspective.