By Sarah Chana Radcliffe
There’s no such thing as "I shouldn't feel this way." We feel whatever we feel. Trying to stop a feeling that IS happening simply ADDS another bad feeling (like shame, guilt or self-loathing). The best way to help ease our distress is to acknowledge and accept it. "Yes, I am feeling hurt/upset/resentful/etc." Once acknowledged, a feeling starts to release and heal. Keep in mind that all feelings do, in fact, make sense to the part of us that holds them. There IS a reason we feel the way we do. Another part of us may understand the situation or behavior of another party and that's great but understanding happens in a different part of our brain than FEELING happens in. We can still feel distress even when we understand the reality of a situation.
