Something I tend to struggle with is being able to figure out what emotion I am feeling about difficult situations. It’s pretty easy to pinpoint being sad or angry, but I was challenged with being more specific with identifying frustration or disappointment this past week, and that proved to be harder than I thought it would be. There are days when I feel like my emotions are all over the place, or I am feeling every emotion at once, so it can be challenging to pinpoint the root feeling that may be causing my stress during that time. However, if we can determine that main component, then it will be easier to resolve or manage.
I was talking to my therapist about a certain situation that has caused me to feel every emotion on the spectrum over the last few years, and this time, I couldn’t really figure out which one it was. I thought I was sad, but it became clear that it was something different. After talking it out with her, she relayed back certain phrases I was saying such as, “it’s fine” or “I’ll be okay,” and she informed me that it’s okay for it to not be fine. Those phrases I kept using are a sign of frustration both with myself and the situation. Being able to talk that out with her and really determine a solid root emotion made it a lot easier for me to understand myself better during that time and figure out how to channel my frustration into something more positive.