In a world that constantly tells us to move on, stay positive, and be strong, sitting with our feelings can feel uncomfortable—almost wrong. We are taught to distract ourselves, scroll endlessly, stay busy, or silence emotions before they get too loud. But emotional well-being does not begin by running away; it begins by gently staying.
Sitting with your emotions does not mean drowning in them or overthinking every feeling. It simply means allowing what is present, without judgment and without the urge to fix it.
We label sadness as weakness, suppress anger, and panic when anxiety appears. However, emotions are not problems to be solved; they are messages asking to be heard. Each feeling carries information about unmet needs, crossed boundaries, or deeply held values.
Think of emotions like waves in the ocean. If you fight a wave, it will knock you down. If you allow it to move through you, it eventually subsides. Sitting with emotions is like learning how to float.
This process begins with awareness. Pause and ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” Not what you should feel, but what you truly feel. Label it gently—sadness, grief, jealousy, relief, confusion. Simply naming an emotion can reduce its intensity by giving it shape and boundaries.
Also Read: Speaking English: Moving Away from Anxiety to Empowerment
The next step is permission. Allow the feeling to exist without trying to change it. You do not need to justify it, explain it, or compare it to someone else’s pain. It is valid simply because it is yours.
Sitting with feelings also means noticing where they live in the body—the tight chest, heavy shoulders, or nervous stomach. By breathing into these sensations rather than avoiding them, the nervous system learns that it is safe to feel.
One of the hardest parts is resisting distraction. Reaching for your phone, binge-watching, overworking, or emotionally shutting down may offer temporary relief, but they disconnect you from yourself. Sitting with your feelings—even briefly—builds emotional resilience and self-trust.
This does not mean you must do it alone. Sometimes sitting with your feelings means talking to a trusted friend, journaling, or seeking therapy. Support does not weaken healing; it strengthens it.
Over time, something profound happens. Fully felt emotions do not stay forever. They soften, move, teach, and help you understand yourself more deeply.
The art of sitting with your feelings is an act of self-respect. It says, “I am allowed to feel. I am allowed to take up emotional space.” In this quiet acceptance, healing begins—not loudly or instantly, but honestly.
Because growth does not come from avoiding discomfort; it comes from meeting yourself exactly where you are.
Blog By:
Ms. Kanishka Joshi
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Sciece
Biyani Group Of Colleges