Defend Innocence

Let’s talk about one main challenge with constantly intellectualizing our emotions. The more we intellectualize our emotions, the harder it will be to regulate them. So, intellectualization is the process of avoiding uncomfortable feelings by focusing on facts or logic. Hence, emotional regulation is learning to tolerate uncomfortable feelings. To do that, we need to drop down into our bodies to move away from the chatter of our minds temporarily. Unfortunately, there are some feelings we cannot rationalize or escape from with logic. The only way out is through. So how do we move away from intellectualization and more towards feeling? 1. Acknowledge what you feel, I am feeling … (see chart), and say it aloud. 2. Accept without judgment. This is not about what I’m feeling is right or wrong; what you’re feeling is what you are feeling; this is about tolerating. 3. Surrender. Part of the human experience is recognizing that there will be moments of pain, so allow yourself to feel it. You can’t move through it if you can’t face it. Practicing gives your emotions a place to exist in a compassionate space. Then you will understand how transient they are and that they are nothing to fear. Let’s talk about one main challenge with constantly intellectualizing our emotions. The more we intellectualize our emotions, the harder it will be to regulate them. So, intellectualization is the process of avoiding uncomfortable feelings by focusing on facts or logic. Hence, emotional regulation is learning to tolerate uncomfortable feelings. To do that, we need to drop down into our bodies to move away from the chatter of our minds temporarily. Unfortunately, there are some feelings we cannot rationalize or escape from with logic. The only way out is through. So how do we move away from intellectualization and more towards feeling? 1. Acknowledge what you feel, I am feeling … (see chart), and say it aloud. 2. Accept without judgment. This is not about what I’m feeling is right or wrong; what you’re feeling is what you are feeling; this is about tolerating. 3. Surrender. Part of the human experience is recognizing that there will be moments of pain, so allow yourself to feel it. You can’t move through it if you can’t face it. Practicing gives your emotions a place to exist in a compassionate space. Then you will understand how transient they are and that they are nothing to fear.