One way for us to be with our difficult emotions is with what I call “’a gentle noticing.” For example, “I’m noticing that I’m feeling really depleted. I’m noticing my grief. I’m noticing my sadness or my loneliness.”
When we notice our inner world with compassion and gentleness, we’re no longer fighting against our emotional experiences. We are able to just be with them. And when you can just be with your emotions, your gentle acceptance defangs that difficulty or challenge a little bit, allowing you to take the next brave step towards what matters most.
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Susan David
Susan David, Ph.D. is one of the world’s leading management thinkers and an award-winning Harvard Medical School psychologist. Her TED Talk on the topic of emotional agility has been seen by more than 10 million people. She is a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal and often appears on national radio and television. Learn more.
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