Emotional traumas if not processed at the time, are stored in the body’s energy system or physical body. Storing emotions can take a lot of energy as it is like trying to hold a big beach ball under the water that wants to rise to the surface. Life gives you abundant opportunities to heal these unresolved issues, yet it is possible to ignore signs the body is giving you until a major crisis (such as an illness or relationship breakup) occurs, forcing you to take notice.
One of the greatest signs that you have unresolved emotional issues is if you find yourself strongly reacting to something. That is, your feelings about an event are disproportionate to what has occurred. When you are reacting to something you have a fight or flight response, that is where you are overly aggressive or find yourself withdrawing emotionally.
Alternatively, it is possible to tune into your inner world using the body’s wisdom, allowing you to respond instead, grow and flow with life.
Step-by-step guide
1. You may initially feel overwhelmed: when experiencing a reaction. If so, give yourself space from the other person to give yourself time to process your reaction.
2. Tune into your inner world: by directing your attention to your toes and then focus for a few seconds on each of your body parts, ascending all the way up to the crown of your head. Inner awareness will get you out of your head and into your body and help you to calm your mind.
3. Name how you are feeling: for example, it could be fearful. Allow yourself to tap into that feeling for a moment.
4. Then, instead of fearful: imagine how you would rather feel, for example; loving. Imagine yourself having loving interactions with the person you had a reaction to, and being your loving self (this is the “true you”) in various situations.
5. After you have taken the time: to process your reaction, you will find that you will be able to communicate with others in a loving way, rather than a reactive way. Healing unresolved emotional issues allow you to be a fuller version of yourself; that is the person you want to be.
Tip: Practice seeing yourself as the observer or witness of your thoughts and feelings in a situation, rather than feeling “in” the situation. Observation of your thoughts and feelings gives you the ability to make choices around them rather than acting them out in unconscious ways. Clarity and insights will also flow more easily when you let your emotions flow through your body; allowing you to feel calm and clear.
