Honor Your Feelings

Welcome to the Shine Meditation. I'm Tiffany. Thanks for joining me. Let's start by getting grounded with some breathing. Find a comfortable position, relax your shoulders, straighten your back. Breathe in for three counts, and exhale for three counts. Again, in and out. Bring your breath to study an easy pace. As caregivers, we deal with feelings that are hard to face, like fear, guilt, resentment, and we often don't get the time to process what we feel so we ignore or bury our feelings altogether, but this isn't sustainable. Research shows stress and depression occur in caregivers at rates and at levels that are dangerously higher than non caregivers, causing everything from anxiety to chronic diseases. So working through tough feelings is a must. The road to caring for others is a long one, so it's necessary to do all that you can to ensure your mental health and wellbeing are cared for. Take a moment to think about how you handle your emotions. Do quietly stuff them inside or find yourself in the middle of a fierce internal battle. Before emotions are fully expressed, they can be felt in the body. First, take a minute to scan your body from your head to your toes. Notice any sensations or tension you feel as you go. An emotion is packed with energy and information. It starts at a subtle level waiting to see what action you take to remedy it. If you choose to do nothing, it builds and builds all in an effort to let you know something is wrong. Right now, you may be feeling something holding you down. Acknowledge it. Say to yourself, I hear you, and feel you. Is there something you can learn from what you're feeling about your needs? Ask yourself, what do I need that I'm not receiving? Think of a way you can honor your feelings by giving them space to exist. Maybe you journal to write down your thoughts to understand them better, or decide to call someone you know will listen and support you. Never feel bad for having certain emotions or feelings. We all experience highs and lows, but you have the power to do something about it. Take another deep breath in and slowly exhale. One more time in and out. Feeling any upsetting energy, melt away. Now smile. It may feel funny, but with this act, you're releasing endorphins, lowering stress levels at this very moment. Now, before you go, repeat after me out loud or in your head. I support my wellbeing by honoring my feelings One more time. I support my wellbeing by honoring my feelings. Be gentle with yourself. You got this....