Mindful Hack #101

Emotions, especially negative ones, are often symptoms of unmet needs.

Take anger as an example. Chances are when we feel angry it’s because some boundary we have, expressed or unexpressed, has been violated. Another (obvious) example is loneliness – it signals that we’re cravingconnection. Disappointment or disgust? In those cases, expectations of our own haven’t been met. If we feel afraid, we’re perceiving some threat and need a sense of safety. I think you get the point.

So, what does this mean? It means that we can usually do something to alleviate negative emotions. How? Mindfulness, or awareness, is the answer (as usual 😊).

Instead of getting caught up in the miserable feeling, exacerbating it with the stories we create, we can get curious about its genesis. To do that, we can take some time and space to become still and to inquire, “what do I need?” The answer is always there, it’s a matter of quieting things enough to hear it.

I’m not saying this is easy. Nor am I saying every negative emotion can be completely quelled. But I do believe when we can turn rumination into curiosity, we’re be able to find what we need and satisfy it. The result is lessening negativity and allowing more room for the good stuff. And I, for one, prefer the good stuff.

Mindfully yours,

Adriane