I grew up in a family where many emotions were not encouraged to be expressed. It has taken years for emotions to become a more familiar language to me.
Even now, an emotion can surface with such force that my mind and body seem to be at its mercy. Sometimes I become emotional simply reflecting on how much those unrecognised feelings have shaped my life.
My body often notices before my mind does.
Fear brings nausea. Grief settles heavily in my chest. Anxiety tightens my jaw and diaphragm. Happiness softens my face. At other times I become unexpectedly sleepy or quietly energised. My body has its own way of speaking, long before I find the words.
So often we believe we’re experiencing an emotion, when we’re actually experiencing a cascade of thoughts wrapped around it.
