Member-only story
This past Saturday I really struggled with my mental health. That morning I was moody and felt a strong urge to spend the day on the couch. This felt problematic for me because I really wanted to spend time doing homework, and working on a project for work.
The negative emotions I felt seemed to come out of nowhere. It was after breakfast and during my morning walk that it hit me.
To get through I committed myself to set a timer and working for 30 minutes. The first thirty minutes were tough. After I achieved that milestone I took a short break. I sat on the floor and gave myself a pep talk. I told myself that it was okay to feel what I was feeling. Lots of people feel negative or uncomfortable emotions. I then verbally accepted how I was feeling and resolved to move on with my day.
I then got up from the floor, set another timer, and did more work. The second interval of work was better, and before I knew it, my mood was starting to improve. I then went on to accomplish my goals for the day and felt pretty good about how things worked out.
The message here is that we’re not our feelings. And also that just because we’re struggling doesn’t mean that we can’t get past it.
I share this story with you not to serve as a remedy for overcoming negative emotions. My hope is that sharing my story might provide insight into one option of how one might navigate negative emotions.
