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What to Do with Sadness

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Throat choking sadness… what to do with it?

In some ways a strange question. I know when I feel happy the thought “what shall I do with this happiness?” never occurs to me. I know I don’t need to do anything with it.

Yet with sadness, and often with anger, anxiety and any other ‘uncomfortable’ emotion, the question occurs, often unconsciously, what shall I do with this?

In some respects it’s all about expression; expressing anger by shouting, sadness perhaps by crying, anxiety by fidgeting or pacing. So what do we do with happiness? Often smile, often nothing at all, just being with it. Being with happiness.

When I notice I am happy I don’t feel compelled to do something with it in the same way as when I feel anger or sadness. Yet all we need do with any emotion is simply be with it. No emotion actually means we must take action, such as sending that irate email when angry, or dancing in the supermarket aisles when happy, (although I do recommend this way of shopping!)

Being with our emotions is all we ever need do. Accompany them on their journey through us, thanking them for reminding us we are alive and human.

In allowing any emotion to flow, if there is any message to be heard it is easier to hear when we’re open and listening, rather than searching or already creating meaning by taking some immediate action.

If I think I need to do something with any emotion I am resisting simply allowing it to be.

And whilst being with that throat choking sadness may bring tears, any message of wisdom will only be heard in the silent space that appears when we stop resisting and allow the feeling of sadness to pass through.

What do you hear when you are not trying to change how you feel?

May any tears you have be the rain that nurtures your hearts desire to love.
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