Feel Thyself MORE

Surprise: emotions are one of the main ways your body communicates with you.

If you’ve spent years regulating emotions by pushing them down, things may feel strange once you start practicing other regulation techniques. At first, you might notice more emotions coming up — sometimes a lot more. That isn’t a setback; it’s a sign that your nervous system is starting to regulate.

When you stop pushing emotions down, more of them show up. You might react more strongly at first, or notice feelings you didn’t pay attention to before.

How do you know you’re making progress? Look for small goal posts:

• You start to notice emotions sooner instead of after the fact.
• You give yourself quick body check-ins during the day.
• You can relax your shoulders, jaw, or breath a little faster when tension shows up.
• You bounce back from stress more quickly than before.

Progress isn’t about feeling less — it’s about handling what you feel with more control.