362: All Emotions are Welcome Here

I ventured out on a solo hike last weekend.

Tears streamed down my face as I climbed to the peak. And on the descent, I couldn't hold back the uncontrollable sobs.

It's definitely harder to cry while hiking up a mountain :) 

During a coaching session last week, one courageous woman shed tears. She kept repeating, "This is silly. I shouldn't be struggling like this."

The pressure to maintain a perpetual positive facade weighs heavily on us. We're bombarded with messages urging us to "stay positive" and "look on the bright side." But what if this relentless pursuit of positivity is doing more harm than good?

There's a hidden side to this constant striving for positivity.

When we continually push away our negative emotions, we deny ourselves the chance to process and heal from them. And if we suppress them long enough, they take a toll on our mental well-being. They lead to heightened stress, anxiety, and sometimes even depression. It's like bottling up a volcano; eventually, it will erupt.

Remember Unikitty from the Lego Movie? That unicorn-cat mash-up who epitomized happiness and positivity until she transformed into Ultrakatty, an oversized, roaring fighting machine.

Suppressed emotions can also surface as physical health issues: digestive problems, stomach pain, tight muscles, or turning to food and other crutches as coping mechanisms.

By sidestepping or neglecting difficult emotions, we miss opportunities for personal growth and learning.

Press play on this podcast, head out for a walk, or grab a cup of tea and listen in. If we were in the same room, I'd offer you a big hug, and we'd share a good cry together.

Sending you warmth and understanding,

-Tanja 💕🌟