Knock Knock!! Who is There?

Do you remember me? I am what you feel everyday. You hide me when you can, and let me out when I am suffocating.

There are many people that hide their feelings on a constant basis. Sometimes our lives are so fast we cannot even keep up. We move from one emotion to another emotion to another emotion, including massive amounts of stress. Anyone who works or goes to school can think of a time that you had to get things done in a certain time frame. Did you think about how you were feeling? No, you only thought about getting things done. So where did those feelings go? They get buried down deep inside, and create pain in your body, mind, and soul.

Life is like a roller coaster of emotions. One day you are so happy, in love, and everything smells like roses. Another day you are so sad, the thought of leaving your house to go to wherever is out of the question, and nothing feels right. Then there are days you are so dizzy with everything that is going on in your life you can barely keep up with what you are feeling. There are other days you are mad at the world, and going anywhere would be detrimental. The crazier life gets the harder it is to keep up with your feelings. Life does not always allow for us to feel what we really need to feel. If we cry we are weak, if we laugh too much we are goofy, if we are angry and do not feel like talking we are rude, and if we just want to be alone we are being a baby. So what can we really do? That is the big question.

Personal story of mine. When my grandmother died that I lived with, it was a tragedy. I never dealt with it. I was in my twenties, and my son was five. In my mid forties I am driving to work, and tears are just rolling down my eyes from her loss. Feelings will come out with or without you wanting them to. Make sure they come out on your terms. Because if not it can result in depression, pain, or both together. Stress can create havoc on anything. As humans we do not think about how we feel. We only think about getting things done. In fact most people judge others who do pay attention to how they feel by making comments like, "they are so sensitive, they are always tired, they always act like that, or they are so anxious." Honestly, I applaud people that can tackle their feelings immediately. I struggle in this area.

Recently mid pandemic I got COVID 19 and was sick for five weeks or more. Did not have any time really to recover, and started a new job in a totally different field. Since 2021 turned I started a new career, lost my boyfriend of 6 years, and my pet died. I have been through so many changes I try to take time to deal with my feelings head on now. Even knowing that keeping feelings hidden create problems, it is still a struggle.

Some information I found on stress: www.google.com What are 5 effects of stress?

On your body On your mood On your behavior

Headache Anxiety Overeating/under-eating

Muscle tension Restlessness Angry outbursts

Chest pain Lack of motivation Drug or alcohol misuse

Fatigue Feeling overwhelmed Tobacco use

Here are some things you can do. Try to spend time with yourself even if it is five minutes a day. Think about how you are feeling, the challenges of the day, and how you feel when it happened. I know you have heard this before: try to meditate, listen to calming music, imagine yourself in a calming place, smell a nice scent candle or incense, and let your stress just melt away. Do not let your feelings stay hidden, because they will not be hidden for long before they come out in a bad way. One more thing, it is OK to feel sad, stressed, or anxious. Try to deal with it, and move on to become a happier you.

Cheryl A Nocera