Nature has given us two wonderful ways in which we could do this. One is talking and the other is crying. Talking about how we feel is really one of the most adequate ways of expressing feelings. It takes courage, timing, opportunity and a good listener.

We can only talk about painful emotions when we are ready to. Grief, pain and hurt can often render us silent and encourage us to hold our feelings within. This is an important part of the process and one that should not be rushed.

It takes courage to address our feelings. So much of what we experience has been felt throughout our lifetime and stored deep within us. This means we need to have an adequate feelings vocabulary in order to make our feelings known. It also presupposes we can understand what it is we are feeling. We can feel frightened of telling about the thoughts we have kept hidden deep within us, embarrassed to see ourselves clearly and ashamed of what we hear ourselves saying.

Often we can feel guilty about taking up time and space to express our emotions. But these too are only feelings and once we embark on the notion of expressing them, the reward is in the relief we can feel once we have let them out. Courageously revealing our private shames, blames, guilt and fears can often put them into clearer perspective and certainly makes us feel freedom from the weight of negative emotions held within.

1. Identify Your Emotions
2. Using Distraction to Cope with Strong Emotions
3. Increasing Your Positive Emotions
4. Manage Your Anger
5. Manage Anxiety Through Deep Breathing
6. Reduce Stress and Anxiety with Progressive Muscle Relaxation