How do we live a life full of love, vitality, and joy when we don’t understand what is driving our emotions, or we don’t fully grasp what emotions are holding us back?

Emotional balance is hard to attain and even harder to conquer.

We often do not know how to gain control of our emotions and are unable to determine what is driving our emotions. Or we learn to bury them deep in the recesses of our subconscious mind where the amygdala goes to work protecting us at all times.

As a woman in her “prime” years, I admit that my emotional roller coaster has been quite challenging to overcome.

As I reflect back, I can most often connect it to that “Mama Bear” that needed to protect her cubs, or not having a complete awareness of my emotional status and the need to let go.

YOUR 6 LETTER ACRONYM FOR FINDING INNER JOY

BEING EMOTIONALLY UNAWARE

While raising kids, I was “unaware” of the toxicity of my emotions; and at one point, this toxicity exploded and resulted in a broken arm.

At this point in my mid-20s, I sought out mental health care to determine why I was feeling so explosive.

Through the help of counseling, I was able to uncover some of the deep-seated feelings and reasons and then find some peace and comfort.

However, I still struggled to find that “inner joy”.

Now, don’t get me wrong I was not a Debbie Downer! I found great joy in my children, my husband, and happiness during periods of my life but inner joy… what was that?

I often found myself rolling from one series of events to another, not giving all that emotional stuff an opportunity to be recognized and cleared.

After all, neither emotional healing nor energy medicine was on my radar, and if a psychiatrist, counselor, or psychologist couldn’t help me, then there truly wasn’t much I could do to change it, right?

BRINGING AWARENESS TO MY EMOTIONS

That all changed when I heard my husband of 27 years say on more than one occasion, “I know you love me, but I often don’t feel like you do.”

How could he not feel my love? I was putting it out there, wasn’t I? What was I doing wrong?

This started my quest to figure out this emotional thing I was not connecting to. I did not want him moving through the next 27 years not feeling loved.

Reflecting back, I can now explain to you what it felt like because I can now connect the dots. I felt disconnected from a higher power, my loved ones, and the world.

How can you be so disconnected and disengaged from all around you?

Somehow, I was missing the component that enabled me to connect to others and radiate and accept love authentically.

THE EXCESS OF EMOTIONS

Furthermore, I found myself unable to relieve the heart I wore on my sleeve.

I was so empathetic to the plight of others that my energy was completely drained.

I was the “mother” that most teenagers could talk to about their problems. They seemed to seek me out.

I was so empathetic to them that I was emotionally unable to disconnect from them.

I soon found myself in an excess of emotions — that overwhelming feeling of not being in control. I remember two very distinct times that this excess of emotions became so much to bear that I thought I was having a nervous breakdown.

Talk about the sympathetic nervous system being on high alert! Both times were related to my children, but little did I know that this pattern started some time ago when I held certain emotions in check.

I would not have to feel these if I held them inside, and the world would not have to see the ugliness.

At that time, I didn’t realize that the inability to express my emotional state could lead me to a place of feeling completely and emotionally overwhelmed, empty, and sad — especially when I was presented with situations in my life that I could not control.

It was at these times that I simply shut down.

THE PATH TO INNER JOY

Now, how did I uncover my emotional freedom and discover my path to inner joy?

It all started with a desire. I recognized a need and found the inner strength to change the outcome.

D. DESIRE

I had a determination and desire to change the past for a future with a fresh perspective.

E. EXPERIENCE

I wanted to experience a life that was balanced, joyful, and full of vitality.

S. SPARK

I felt the need to spark and ignite a future brimming with possibilities.

I. INTROSPECTIVE

I took a step back to review, reflect, and renew the spirit within myself.

R. REVIVE

I made the initiative to revive a truly blessed life, and release what no longer served me.

E. EXCEL

I looked to accept the challenge, do the work, and excel my life to the next level.

You can do these things too — you just need to dig deep and find that desire!

IN CONCLUSION

When you have the determination to change the present, accept the experience for personal growth, and have the spark to move forward, then the only thing left to do is renew your spirit and excel to the best version of YOU that YOU can be!

Grant your subconscious mind the D.E.S.I.R.E. to grow, and stop letting your conscious mind run the show!

When given the opportunity, the neurons within the conscious mind will take root and not allow the subconscious mind to blossom and grow. Take hold of your D.E.S.I.R.E. and find your inner joy today!

How will you get in control of your emotions so you can release them and live your best life? Tell me in the comments!

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