Grownups have feelings too! Ahh yes, those fabulous five feelings. Well, those cute little feelings aren’t necessarily any easier to manage when we’re grownups, and they certainly aren’t always fun. Science tells us that the brain patterns formed when we’re young result in emotional patterning, or emotional responses that become habitual. We might not like the fact that angry feelings were discouraged in our family, or that overwhelming or frightening feelings resulted in our own struggles with depression, anxiety or trauma. We all have emotional patterns.
Managing our own feelings helps the children in our lives manage theirs, so know that this week I’m thinking about you and want you to know that ‘feelings can be fun’ at any age. When we have the freedom to express our emotions and manage them with more confidence, we have more energy, confidence, our relationships become more enjoyable and we find a greater sense of creativity.
SCIENCE: Kaiser Permanente studied extreme stress in childhood, and the impact that stress has in adulthood. They found a correlation between a high number of significantly stressful childhood experiences, and adult health conditions. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) impact our immune system, and learning to reduce stress and free up restricting or destructive emotional patterns not only helps us feel better emotionally, it can help us physically! For more information about ACEs go to the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/about.html.