The joy of accepting what is…
In the Feeling Freedom, group call this week we talked about plans for Christmas
‘I have so much grief around Christmas’
‘I wish I could act normal, but there is so much pressure to enjoy yourself and be happy.’
‘I just want to ignore it’
‘It feels too much pressure.’
Was the general consensus of the session
I wonder what you feel on reading that.
Judgement?
Discomfort?
Keen to offer advice to cheer them up?
Or maybe… relief?
Relief that the pressure that YOU have been feeling is being acknowledged by someone else.
Christmas dread is not something that is often discussed.
I don’t think that these kind of feelings are particular to those dealing with addiction. We can feel this way when we are grieving about a lost loved one, a lost job or opportunity, or any other circumstance that brings uncertainty, fear and loneliness.
When we don’t allow our bodies to feel the energy in motion that is there (the e-motion) it can become blocked, eventually developing into chronic pain or prompting us to behave in ways that will quieten and numb our true feelings.
When it comes to how we feel, as a wise car bumper sticker once said:
If you are still resistant to surrendering to the feeling of Christmas dread EFT tapping can really help.
One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is permission to feel exactly what we're feeling.
This video guides you through accepting your authentic emotions about the festive season, whatever they may be.
I hope it helps to release the pressure of the “should" and find peace in what is.
There's no right or wrong way to feel about the holidays.
If you struggle with feeling your feelings, or are looking to deepen your relationship with your inner landscape, then come and join a small group of us for a Permission to Feel writing series. We will explore a different emotion each week.
Wondering if it is for you? This is what a previous participant said:
I absolutely LOVED the workshop. I thought it might be similar to other writing workshops I've been to but it absolutely wasn't, it was a million times better than any other writing workshop I've been to. Your prompts eased me in, and allowed me to connect to myself, my own joy and my own experiences, and explore using those in my writing in a new way. It felt so playful. You really created a space where I felt free to just follow my hand where it wanted to go. I did also love the poems. I'm not usually much of a poem person (writing or reading), but the poems you shared really hit a mark.
From 14th January I am running a course of 8 writing workshops.
This will be on Tuesdays at 5:30-7pm GMT.
Places are limited to 8 people
That’s it for now!
‘Til next time,
Jacky