It can be daunting to take on the task of inner reflection. To stop focusing on others, the world, and look within yourself. To look at your own heart. Some people struggle with verbalizing their feelings, when they need help or support, or even putting a name to an emotion. I was one of those people until I became comfortable with this lovely circle, The Feelings Wheel. The Feelings Wheel operates in levels, your most basic generalized emotion, such as sad or happy, and then further dissects how you are feeling into more descriptive and sometimes painful emotions. Being able to reconcile how you feel physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and even relationally can be life-changing. We think that if we give our feelings a name and acknowledge them they will swallow us whole, when in reality the opposite is true. Only in darkness can darkness thrive, if light is shone on it, if it is revealed in any way, it becomes powerless and manageable. There are multiple places in the Bible where it becomes clear that we are meant to relate and connect with each other, sharing how we feel and letting others come alongside us in the midst of our joys and trials. The Lord knows our hearts, they are completely transparent to Him, but until we readily open ourselves and share what we are going through and how we are feeling with Him and others, we will manage the burden alone. Alone and isolated is where our feelings will turn from bad to worse and we find ourselves seemingly hopeless. I try to daily sit down and determine what I feel in each category. Am I tired physically? Energetic? Do I feel lonely or content? Am I being nourished in my walk with the Lord or am I stagnant? Try looking at yourself and your emotions without judgment. The emotions we categorize as “bad” are still ways we feel and there are reasons we feel them. Embrace what you are feeling and try to work through what put you in that place, what small steps you can take to reach the emotion you wish you were feeling. Whether it is reading a book, sitting on your porch with coffee, listening to music, or going for a drive, find ways to cultivate your soul. This post serves as an introduction to my Feelings category, where I am going to share individual emotions that I have journaled about, where I have let my pen flow freely as my heart Poured Out, and dissect those emotions and their roots. Spend some time with the wheel, study it, see if emotions call out to you, stop feeling shame for how you feel, and rely on being honest with yourself.
Becoming Comfortable with How and What You Feel
