For many of my 35 years, I built up the skills and practices of eating my feelings, stuffing down my feelings, lashing out my feelings, scrolling or swiping my feelings, escaping my feelings with my imagination, or busying away my feelings.

The idea of feeling my feelings is a relatively new skill that I’ve been learning and practicing over the past year or so.

Honestly, I think learning to feel has opened me up more to life, to a broader, deeper, richer, and maybe more fully human experience.

But I’m a beginner. And I have much more experience and familiarity with not feeling feelings. And sometimes it’s not easy, fun, or light to feel feelings.

The thing is, though, since I’ve been learning how to feel- how to consciously allow my emotions to be there without trying to escape them, stuff them down, or react to them by lashing out- I’ve learned that the negative emotions I experience actually have a lot to teach me about who I am, how I am, and how I’m thinking.

Our feelings are worth getting to know because they dictate how we show up or whether we show up at all in the work of changing the world. They also dictate how we experience our one precious life!

For this week's reflection, I invite you to notice a feeling that you’re having each morning this week. Name the feeling. “I notice I’m feeling…”

What are some ways that you engage or disengage with your feelings instead of feeling them?

What feelings do you want to dictate how you show up in the work of changing the world? And in your life this week?

If you want to chime in on the discussion, the “I Want to Change the World Podcast Community” on Facebook is the perfect place to do so! You can also email me at  janai@gilmorefacilitationllc.com or drop me a line @missjanaiashley on  IG.

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