In my growth journey, I’ve found that learning to process uncomfortable emotions (instead of resisting them) is the true key to happiness.

So how do we do that?

Have you ever taken a cold shower and felt the immediate urge to jump out of it because of the discomfort?

That’s the same feeling we get when we experience uncomfortable emotions like stress and anxiety.

Sometimes we resist uncomfortable emotions by pushing them away and not allowing ourselves to feel them. But what if we could learn to allow our bodies to process them instead?

Watch the video or read below.

@happywoz

Letting yourself fully feel uncomfortable emotions is how we let them pass through us. This is how we process stress and anxiety in a healthy way. #momswithanxiety #dadswithanxiety #emotionalintelligence #mindfulness #stressrelief #anxietyrelief #womenleaders

♬ original sound – Sandy Woznicki Stress Coach

The analogy of a cold shower

In this example, I want you to imagine slowly easing your body underneath the cold water. When you do this, you’ll naturally take a deep breath and relax your body because you know that when you’re tense, you’re creating a lot more resistance to the experience.

By loosening up your muscles and slowly easing your way under the water, you give yourself permission to feel the cold and let it happen without adding additional suffering on top of the pain.

Allowing ourselves to process uncomfortable emotions

The same principle applies when it comes to processing uncomfortable emotions. We need to give ourselves permission to feel them and allow our bodies to process them instead of resisting and pushing them away.

This may seem counterintuitive, but it’s a powerful way to build resilience and emotional strength.

Embracing uncomfortable emotions instead of resisting them

As someone who has struggled with stress and anxiety in the past, I know firsthand how hard it can be to allow yourself to feel uncomfortable emotions. But by doing so, you can build your emotional resilience and become a Zen badass who can enjoy life to the fullest.

So, the next time you feel stress or anxiety creeping up on you, try this approach. Take a deep breath, relax your body, and allow yourself to feel the emotion without judgment. Give yourself permission to process it, and know that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable at times.

The bottom line:

By stopping the resistance and allowing our bodies to process uncomfortable emotions, we can build our emotional resilience and become more in control of our lives. So let’s take that cold shower, let the cold happen, and learn to embrace the uncomfortable emotions that make us who we are.

Where to go from here:

  1. Work with me 1:1: For leaders and parents feeling lost trying to grow and heal on their own, ready for a guide on their journey out of anxiety into the happiest, most Zen-Badass version of yourself from the boardroom to the family room.
  2. 21 Day Meditation-in-Action emotional transformation (now only $37). In as few as 4 minutes a day, learn how to retrain your mind for resilience, peace and focus.
  3. Free Training – Learn the 4 Shifts to Ease Anxiety and Find Your Inner Zen-Badass: Access the free mini-but-mighty Graceful Resilience® training to learn the skills to become calm, confident and in control over your emotions so your career and relationships thrive.