Life is busy for many of us. I , for one, have been working 50 hours+ per week for almost two months because my side businesses are really taking off. I love the work, but when you’re so busy, things like self-care slide off your radar because there’s so little time to devote to it. Has anyone ever been guilty of that? *raises hand* One thing that we ought to do but sometimes don’t make time for is sitting with our feelings.

What do I mean? Let’s say something transpired that offended you, saddened you or made you angry. Often, our reaction to such things when life is busy is to suck it up and go on. The result? Those feelings are bottled up and leak out here and there as impatience and snippiness, usually unleashed upon those who didn’t deserve to be treated in such a way. Maybe you’re like me and these feelings come to the surface in the night and make it hard to go back to sleep. The solution is pretty easy, though.

Take the time to sit with your feelings. Remember the incident that caused them. If it made you sad, go ahead and feel the sadness and even release some tears. One almost always feels better after a good cry. If you were made to be angry, go ahead and give vent to the frustration, either as furiously writing in your journal or even yelling into a pillow (not necessary if you live alone and the windows are shut). If you were offended, search yourself as to why what was said touched a nerve. Sometimes we are offended with good cause. Sometimes it is a misunderstanding and if you never examine those feelings, that misunderstanding might never be rectified.

Some feelings are uncomfortable and may even hurt and we are all guilty of trying not to feel them sometimes because, you know, they’re unpleasant. But what is even more unpleasant is stuffing them down and being somewhat on edge without really knowing it.

There is much we can all learn about self-care, and sitting with our feelings is one lesson that can help clear your mind, help you process those feelings and move on from a place of sadness or anger to a better frame of mind!