Last week I was overwhelmed with loneliness. With tears in my eyes the thought ran through my head “I’m just so lonely.” And then another thought popped up “No. You aren’t lonely. You are just feeling that way.”
I am not a lonely person. I have a supportive spouse. I have an amazing network of family and friends that I could call at any time. I have interests and hobbies that keep me entertained and challenged. And to be honest, I love hanging out with me. I’m a ton of fun 😊
I am not lonely. I am just feeling loneliness.
We aren’t at the mercy of the emotions we feel. We don’t have to allow every emotion we feel to set up shop. Treating our emotions as something we have, and can easily change, and not who WE ARE is a game changer.
This shift of thinking doesn’t discount what you are going through. You may be in a tough season of life and these hard emotions are very real for you. You may need sit with them for a while but even then, remember they do not define who you are.
YOU aren’t sad. You feel sad. Feel it, make a shift, release it.
YOU aren’t stressed. You feel stress. Feel it, make a shift, release it.
YOU aren’t anxious. You feel anxiety. Feel it, make a shift, release it.
It’s perfectly normal to feel all of these emotions and more. But we don’t have to carry them with us longer than they serve their purpose.
After reminding myself I was just feeling lonely. I put my big girl panties on. I felt the feeling with no judgment. I reminded myself of all the reasons I wasn’t lonely. I did things that day that reminded me I wasn’t lonely.I called my brother. I scheduled an outing for this week and read.
Just like we are more than the labels we wear, we are more than the emotions we feel.
.jpg)