There are many things I’ve learned in almost fifteen years of as a personal coach, but one of the most impactful was a truth I had never considered before I heard it. It is simply this: “Emotions are teachers,” the late Thomas Leonard, a pioneer in the field of life coaching, used to say.
“Emotions are teachers.”
Emotions are not there to simply annoy you or make you miserable or ecstatic. The annoyance, misery and excitement are there to get your attention and offer you clues about the state of your life, your thoughts, and what you should do next. When you learn to read the messages your emotions send you, you can literally coach yourself to higher levels of happiness and success.
This week, I challenge you to simply be honest about your emotions and ask yourself, “What message is being offered to me right now?” And I’ll even help you get started with this cheat sheet of common emotions and the messages they send us (from my book, What’s Really Holding You Back?).
Anger: A boundary has been crossed. Perhaps it is time to set stronger boundaries or protect yourself from trespassers.
Guilt: You believe you’ve done something wrong. Maybe it is time to apologize … or maybe you’ve done nothing wrong and you need to reset expectations.
Jealousy: There’s something you wish you had in your own life. Perhaps it is time to be grateful for what you have … or start creating a situation that reflects your heart’s desires.
Disappointment: Your expectations weren’t met. Maybe you need to adjust your expectations.
Burnout: You’ve exhausted your mental and emotional resources. It is time to restore your energy and fill your tank back up.
Sadness: You’ve experienced a loss, whether the loss of something/someone you had or the loss of the vision you thought you were going to have. Give yourself time to acknowledge and mourn your loss so you can move forward again.
Anxiety: You fear danger is looming in the future.
Excitement: You are experiencing something that energizes you. How could you savor it and perhaps even create more of that in your life?
Allow your emotions to school you, not rule you. Listen for the messages they are sending and use it as an opportunity to grow.
My challenge to you:
Acknowledge your emotions. Then listen to what they are trying to tell you.
Journal about it:
What persistent emotion are you experiencing lately? What message is the emotion offering you? What action will you take as a result of that message?
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