The Benefits of Feeling Your Feelings

We might try to avoid them, or we might not even know how to start. But what if I told you there are some significant benefits to feeling your emotions? According to Brene Brown, author, and research professor, "When we numb the painful feelings, we also numb the positive ones." So learning how to feel our emotions can make us happier and more productive.

Some benefits of feeling your emotions include:

1. Increased happiness – When we allow ourselves to feel our emotions, we increase our happiness. We are permitting ourselves to experience the full range of human emotions, not just the positive ones.

2. Greater productivity – Feeling our emotions can make us more productive. We are not numbing ourselves to our feelings, which can lead to procrastination.

3. Improved relationships – When we learn how to feel our emotions, we can also improve our relationships. We will be better able to communicate with others and understand their feelings.

4. Greater self-awareness – Feeling our emotions can help us to become more self-aware. We will be able to identify our triggers and learn how to deal with them healthily.

5. Less stress – Learning how to feel our emotions can reduce our stress levels. We will be less likely to bottle up our emotions, which can lead to stress.

If you are struggling with feeling your emotions, there are some things that you can do to help yourself. Feeling your feelings can be overwhelming, but it can also be empowered with the right tools. In this episode of the Living Out Love podcast, Amy covers how to feel your feelings and provides helpful tips for doing just that. 

First, it is important to understand that there is no "right" or "wrong" way to feel your emotions. Everyone experiences emotions differently, so there is no single "correct" way to handle them. Second, try to be as accepting of your emotions as possible. This means that you should not try to judge or label your emotions. Instead, allow yourself to experience them without judgment. Lastly, it is important to practice self-compassion. This means being kind and understanding to yourself when you are feeling your emotions.

Recently on the, We Can Do Hard Things podcast, Glennon Doyle interviews Dr. Becky about her parenting work and how to use Internal Family Systems for healing. Dr. Becky talks about the importance of understanding your emotions and how to deal with them in a healthy way. She also provides helpful tips for parents who want to help their children learn how to deal with their own emotions.

Did you know there are four main categories of emotions? The four categories of emotions are happiness, anger, sadness, and fear. Each category has its own unique set of emotions that can arise. To better understand the emotions that we experience, it is important to categorize them. In The Encyclopedia of Emotions, Vera Helleman discusses eight categories of emotion. Hellman defines emotions as "mental and physical states that arise as a result of the interaction between an individual and his or her environment." There are many different types of emotions, and each one can be helpful in different situations. But for our purpose today, we will focus on the following:

Happiness

Happiness is one of the most basic and universal emotions that we feel. It is often associated with positive events, such as getting a promotion at work or spending time with loved ones. However, happiness can also be found in simple moments, like taking a walk on a beautiful day or enjoying a good cup of coffee.

Anger

Anger is usually caused by feeling frustrated, threatened, or helpless. When we are angry, we may feel our blood pressure rise and our heart rate increase. We may also clench our fists or teeth, and our faces may flush. Therefore, it is important to express anger in a healthy way, such as through exercise or journaling.

Sadness

Sadness is a normal emotion that we all feel at times. It is often caused by loss, such as the death of a loved one or the end of a relationship. Sadness can also be caused by other life transitions, such as starting a new job or moving to a new city. It is important to allow yourself to feel sad when needed and to express your sadness in a healthy way, such as by talking to a friend or writing in a journal.

Fear

Fear is an emotion that we feel when we are scared or threatened. It is often caused by thinking about something that could go wrong, such as getting in a car accident or failing an exam. Fear can also be caused by real-life dangers, such as being in a hurricane or being bitten by a snake. It is important to face our fears to overcome them. 

In a study by Dr. Robin Dunbar, it was found that people can only maintain 150 stable social relationships. This number is known as Dunbar's Number, and it dictates the maximum number of people with whom one can keep a close relationship.

The reason for this limit has to do with the fact that humans have a limited amount of cognitive resources. As a result, we can only focus on so many people at once, and we can only keep track of so many social interactions. This means that when we feel scared or threatened, we are most likely to fear those people who are outside of our inner circle of 150 friends.

Now that we've identified the four emotions let's look deeper. Each type of emotion has benefits and drawbacks. For example, happiness can lead to a sense of well-being but can also be viewed as shallow or artificial. Sadness can help process complex life events but can also lead to depression and feelings of worthlessness. Anger can be a motivating force and lead to physical and emotional violence. Lastly, love is often seen as the ultimate emotion but can lead to heartache and loss.

How to feel happiness

Happiness is often seen as the goal of life. We all strive to be happy and feel good emotions. However, happiness can also be viewed as shallow or artificial. How can you tell if you're truly happy?

There are many different ways to achieve happiness. Some people find that doing things for others makes them happy. Others find that pursuing their passions and doing something they love brings them happiness. Finally, some people find that simply enjoying the moment and being present in the here and now is enough to make them happy.

Remember, happiness comes from within. It's not something that you can find outside of yourself. However, there are things you can do to make yourself happier. One way is to read Dr. Becky's new book Good Inside. In her book, Dr. Becky discusses how to find happiness no matter what life throws your way. She outlines four basic steps to help you find joy in any situation.

How to feel sadness

Sadness is often seen as a negative emotion that should be avoided at all costs. However, sadness can help process complex life events. It can also lead to empathy and compassion for others.

If you're feeling sad, it's important to allow yourself to feel the emotion. Don't try to push it away or bottle it up. Instead, acknowledge the sadness and give yourself time to process it. Crying can be helpful in releasing sadness. You might also want to talk to a friend or therapist about what you're going through.

How to feel anger

Anger is often seen as a negative emotion that should be avoided. However, anger can be a motivating force. It can help you stand up for yourself and others. It can also lead to positive change.

If you're feeling angry, it's important to express it healthily. Yelling and hitting are not productive. Instead, try to talk to the person who you're angry with. If that's not possible, write down what you're feeling or punch a pillow. Once you've expressed your anger, it's important to let it go. Holding onto anger will only lead to bitterness and resentment.

How to feel love

Love is often seen as the ultimate emotion. It's what we all strive for. However, love can also lead to heartache and loss.

When you're in love, being honest with yourself and the other person is important. Don't try to force a relationship if it's not working. And don't stay in a relationship that is abusive or toxic.

It's also important to be aware of the different types of love. There is romantic love, but there is also Platonic love, familial love, and self-love. Every kind of love has its benefits and drawbacks. Find what works for you and go with it.

We've looked at the four basic emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, and love. Each type of emotion has benefits and drawbacks. It is important to be aware of these emotions and how they can affect our lives. Experiment with ways to achieve happiness, sadness, anger, and love to find what works best for you. Don't be afraid to feel your emotions; they are a natural part of life. And finally, remember that love comes in many forms, so don't be scared to experiment and find what works best for you. And lastly, don't forget to love yourself; it goes a long way!