Hello Dear One,
How are you with feeling words? Joyful; anxious; angry; peaceful - any resonate? Perhaps you’re not sure. Or perhaps things change so quickly it feels hard to pin your emotions down. Perhaps you’re scared to look at them.
I’d say I’ve been there, but I am there. I feel things quickly and deeply and sometimes I don’t feel good. It’s something I freely talk about, because I let writing be my place to go. I know, no matter what comes up, I’ve got myself. Last week I was encouraged to share more of my story, so here goes.
A few years ago I went through a severe period of depression and anxiety, where I simply couldn’t see my life going on. I would say ‘I know things but I can’t feel them’. I knew I was loved and supported, I even knew things might get better, but inside everything felt grey. I couldn’t imagine looking forward to anything again.
During recovery, I realised how often I stuffed my emotions down. I liken this to that cupboard in your house, where you put all the stuff you don’t want to look at. I threw it all in: shame, heartbreak, grief, anger, envy. And it made me sick. I also laboured under the misbelief that I was my feelings and there were wrong ways to feel.
Now I know it’s a blessing to feel. It’s why I love sea swimming, walking up a hill when I don’t know where I’m going, or getting on stage and reading my poems. Because I feel alive. When we’re in touch with our emotions, when we let them move through us, we enable this feeling too.
This letter is an encouragement to express yourself on the page, to know that you are safe. You can tear it up after if you want to; and know that it’s ok if you don’t have all the answers. There also might be some things you don’t want to write about yet, and that ok. Really – there’s lots of research on it. You are in charge.
Feeling it all is courageous. It’s also living. It’s feeling the beat of your gorgeous heart. It’s sensing possibilities and believing they can be for you. It’s valuing your experiences. It’s allowing what we don’t want to move through us, so we can make space for what we do.
If you’d like more support with it I have exciting new offerings below. Thanks for being here and being you.
All love,
Jo
ME MEMBERSHIP
My monthly membership is HERE and you’re finding out about it first!
The ME membership invites you to take radical time for yourself and tune into your emotions while feel supported, uplifted and nurtured. Each month we’ll explore a theme, such as self-compassion, freedom or calm, through a mix of live teaching, workbook and audio. It’s an affordable way to feel great through writing without feeling pressured to carve out lots of time.
We begin 1st February 2022, go here for all the details.
MONTHLY DROP-IN
If a membership isn’t your thing you can still book the monthly writing for self-care workshop here. The next one is on Thursday 3rd of February at 7.30 pm GMT, it would be gorgeous to see you there.
FEEL GREAT WRITING: Free Masterclass
On 27th January at 8 pm (replay available) I’m running a free masterclass. In it I’ll share how writing transformed the way I speak to myself and gain clarity and courage. I’ll also outline how to start a writing practice and offer tips and encouragement. If you’re curious about the work I do or would like some ideas and inspiration come along! Over half the tickets are gone so book now if it calls.