Why is it when we talk or write about something we are struggling with, sometimes it can feel so healing? Like a release or clearing away of the old and bringing in of the new. We can feel lighter and lighter the more we clear away, and not even know why. Where does this lightness come from? Why does talking about something help?
One of the things I’ve seen be most important and helpful is finding a way, some way, to obtain that experience of catharsis and clearing. Also, (and this matters!!) that everyone is different! The things that help one person to feel lighter and like they’ve released heaviness and pain, are not what works for someone else. To force the same approach on everyone is not only ineffective but potentially harmful. Not everyone does well by talking, or writing, or whatever. Some people feel a sense of peace and letting go through therapeutic work with animals, art, music, nature retreats, EMDR, etc. Everyone is not the same and treating everyone with a one size fits all approach certainly doesn’t work.
So if you find you’re feeling heavy, overloaded or like you have too much on your plate either in life or emotionally, maybe try to consider in the past how best you experienced letting go of negative thoughts, emotions or experiences. What has worked for sometimes? If nothing has ever worked very well, what are you willing to try?
Just like how we shower, brush our teeth and all the other things we do for hygiene and functioning, why should your emotional health be any different? To keep your ’emotional hygiene’ in check, it helps to do something regularly to clear and let go of unhelpful negativity.
