In my experience, it is acknowledgement of what we feel is the key. It is generally OK to share and express our happiness.  Therefore, I will focus on our repressed emotions which is not cool to share or acknowledge.

It is about acknowledging our loneliness, fear and pain that we are feeling. It is acknowledgement without judging, blaming, analyzing or trying fixing it.

Acknowledgement is like listening to a part of you that desperately, for many years, wants to be heard and noticed. It is the same acknowledgement we show to our best friend or our pet when they are hurting. We are to listen and be present for them.

How do we know what is repressed?

Be on lookout for repressed emotion by:

- Observing who triggers you and why?

- Observing the pain and tension in your body and going back to your thoughts prior to the pain 

Be open to share your observation and feelings with a friend or a therapist or a good coach.

As you acknowledge old and repressed emotions, they will be released.  You may shed intense tears or release the emotions through heat in your body or many other ways. You may have never noticed or expressed or acknowledged the pain within before, be gentle and brave and let it come out.

After such a release, you will feel much lighter because a heavy emotional weight has been lifted. You also have connected with part of you that needed your attention. Finally, you know yourself by knowing your deepest and most sacred desires (your hurts point to them) and that is part of loving yourself.

Copyright . 2017 by Shervin Hojat