Embracing Your Emotions: They Are All Valid
Let’s talk emotions. Yep, all those feelings swirling inside each of us—whether they’re joyful, sorrowful, or somewhere in between—they are ALL valid and deserve to be acknowledged.
There’s something I’ve learned time and time again: emotions are natural and necessary.
They’re our mind’s way of communicating with us about what’s happening in our lives. Think of them as the dashboard lights in a car. Just like you wouldn’t ignore a flashing check engine light, you shouldn’t ignore your emotions. They’re there to guide you, to alert you, and sometimes, to push you to make changes.
Our lives are busy. And with many us on this email list being educators, there’s a lot of pressure to keep a smile on our faces and stay positive. But here’s the thing: it’s perfectly okay to not be okay all the time. Ignoring or suppressing emotions can lead to bigger issues down the road, like stress, anxiety, or even physical health problems. When you acknowledge your emotions, you validate your own experience. It’s a powerful act of self-care and self-respect.
At no point should we allow others to make us feel like our emotions aren’t valid. If you’re feeling a particular way about something, embrace it. That doesn’t mean you have to STAY in that emotion though. It’s ok to feel something deeply and then move through it.
I hate that I was part of a chapter in my book “Kids Deserve It” called “leave it in your car”. Now having lived more life I see how ignorant it was to write some of that chapter.
We are people first and we can’t (nor should we) just turn off our emotions and bury them.
So in addition to allowing yourself to feel the emotions inside you, we also need to remember to let others walk alongside us. When we share our journeys we lighten our own loads. It is never an act of burdening others but instead an act of mutual connection.
Your emotions are a vital part of who you are. They don’t need to be fixed or changed; they need to be felt and understood. By embracing all of your emotions, you give yourself permission to be fully human. Remember, every feeling is valid, and every emotional journey is a step towards self-discovery and growth.
So today, I encourage you to check in with yourself. What are you feeling right now? Whatever it is, know that it’s okay. Your emotions are valid, and so are you.
