Do you ever feel weighed down by negative emotions? As humans, we experience negative emotions daily. Sometimes, you may just feel annoyed by a family member. Other times you may feel emotions that are more weighty like inadequacy, shame, or depression.
This morning during my workout I realized, experiencing negative emotions is a lot like working out with weights.
In order for weight training to be successful you need a few things:
the weights (the opposition)
knowledge of what to do with the weights (how to use them)
familiarity (ease of use)
desire & an end goal (the reason you keep going)
When done properly, weight training will make you stronger without damaging your muscles. They can still hurt and get tired, however, your muscles will be able to handle what you require them to do. They will continually get stronger and handle the weights better and better.
Any athlete who weight trains experiences discomfort. They have moments where they aren’t sure they want to continue. But their focus and their faith in what it will create for the future version of themselves gets them through.
Our negative emotions are the same. When we understand the purpose of experiencing the negative emotions, we can better navigate through them. And when we know what to do with them, we can actually be strengthened. We still can hurt or experience fatigue. Those emotions do not disappear, but we are able to handle what comes. We grow and become stronger.
You may wonder but how? How can I actually move through this pressure? Or this shame? Or this sadness?
Facing those emotions may seem daunting.
It’s okay. We are meant to feel all these different things. Nothing is wrong with you and you are not alone.
The great news is, that there is a way to grow from them instead of retreating or collapsing from their weight. I promise. You can learn how.
Life can be so much better, even with these uncomfortable emotions.
I can show you how.
