All our problems seem to be born from our inability to voluntarily experience our difficult feelings and sensations. We are in a frenzy to prevent or run away from discomfort in our body and psyche. This seems to be the root cause of all our problems in life.
Whenever I am uncomfortable feeling the unpleasant sensation that comes by speaking the harsh truth and stand the risk of being unloved, I lie or withhold the truth. Whenever I am uncomfortable feeling the unpleasant sensations that are born of failure, I refuse to run a risk in my professional life.
Whenever I am uncomfortable sharing my secrets with people and being betrayed and in disgust of the unpleasant feelings that betrayal brings , I stop sharing my secrets even with trusted friends and shut down in life and become a heady person. All problems stem from our inability to put up with the unpleasant feelings in our heart and unpleasant sensations in the body that all real life experiences are capable of manifesting.
The solutions seems theoretically simple. It’s about understanding that unpleasant emotions are also emotions. And life is not about feeling better. Life is about feeling. Period. Feeling is a great privilege in itself. Doesn’t matter whether the feeling is pleasant or unpleasant. Look at a person who has lost the capacity to feel. He is surely far worse off than a person who is feeling bad all the while.
Can we open ourselves to feeling more and more rather than insisting upon feeling only the positive spectrum of emotions? Can we be the permission that permits every feeling? Can we go ahead and do what is right rather than refrain from doing what is right simply because it feels unpleasant or scary or loathsome? We should learn to voluntarily step up and lean into this discomfort. Easier said than done. But surely the only key to a more whole-hearted life.
