The Importance Of Being In Touch With Your Emotional World

" True emotional healing doesn't happen without feeling. The only way out is through. "― Jessica Moore

Emotions aren’t for the weak. Emotions are what makes us fundamentally human. They are the fuel of our own vehicle. To experience the full spectrum of emotions is a normal and healthy thing. On the other hand, what isn’t healthy is pushing children from a young age to hold their emotions in, be it anger, sadness, joy, etc. It is worth noting that most of the time, children act out and misbehave precisely because some of their emotional needs have not been met. Therefore by shutting them into their rooms we are in no way making them a favor, quite the opposite.

We all need a forum to be able to express how we feel, especially when difficult emotions arise to the surface. To create for our children a safe and comforting place where they can channel their very feelings without being judged is a gift that can create miracles. Contrary to popular belief, hiding one’s emotions or acting like nothing can get through us is not a sign of mental strength. In fact, it is unhealthy and is likely to damage us in the long run. What we repress will sooner or later leak into our behaviors and interactions with others or with ourselves.

It is beyond me that still to this day men are stigmatized when they express their very human nature by allowing themselves to feel. It’s as if vulnerability is seen as this thing to be avoided at all cost because it is a sign of weakness. To the contrary, it takes much inner strength to allow oneself to be vulnerable. When we send the message to our children that " boys can’t cry because it’s for the weak " – we contribute to making this world one inside which coldness is the norm. Maybe if we encouraged our children to voice how they feel on a daily basis, our society wouldn’t be one characterized by hard-heartedness.

What’s worse than experiencing trauma is to not be given any outlet to deal with the range of feelings that going through such a hardship elicits. Is it any wonder why so many human beings choose all sorts of unhealthy ways to deal with their pain? Because us, as a society, as a culture, have created this barrier against anything that has do to with the expression of emotions. "Keep your emotional responses to yourself" is exactly what makes human beings become heartless, numb, and choose to engage in destructive behaviors against themselves or others.

Emotional health is just as important as one’s physical and mental health. The importance of self-introspection can’t possibly be overstated. Emotions have a mind of their own, and to understand them, we need to be able to give ourselves the permission to feel them. Changing the cycle of "hurt people hurt people" starts there. A lot of what we do has to do with how we feel. To gain a deeper understanding of our emotions is to enhance our capacity to know ourselves better and thus improve our lives.