Releasing Emotions

How do we release trapped emotions that are holding us back in our lives?

There is a very simple process I learned from Mike Chang a year ago, that you can apply to pretty much any emotional charge you experience.

The process breaks down into 4 steps:

STEP 1: REALIZE THAT YOU ARE EMOTIONALLY CHARGED.

You can recognize you are emotionally triggered by how you feel in your body, by seeing you are becoming defensive, by noticing the quality of your thoughts, tensing your body, and the urge to do something to feel better even if it is unhealthy (ex: smoking, drinking, eating...).

STEP 2: RELAX, BREATHE SLOWLY, & FEEL.

Get into a comfortable position and relax your body as much as you can. You can move or gently stretch if it helps you to release the tension in your body. Bring your awareness to your breath, breathing in through the nose, and slow down the pace. This will help you release the emotion at the surface level, but it won't uproot it at the deepest level.

STEP 3: DO NOT BELIEVE YOUR THOUGHTS.

Be aware that your mind and perception is directly influenced by your emotional charge. Therefore, whatever ideas and decisions you make at this moment will be 100% affected by your emotional state. Remembering this will help you to consciously choose how you respond.

One of the best things you can do, is take a moment to go through steps and release the charge before going back to your day. If you cannot, for whatever reason, do your best to limit your expression, and make the best conscious decisions that you can.

STEP 4: FEEL DEEPLY INTO YOUR BODY TO RELEASE THE EMOTIONS.

Sit in a quiet place where you cannot be disturbed. Slowly breathe in and out of the nose into your belly. You can breathe for 5-10 seconds in and 5-10 seconds out. Set a timer for at least 20 minutes and do slow breathing the entire time. This will bring your attention into your body and bring up the emotions that you experienced earlier.

Next, bring all of your attention in your body, fully feeling the emotions and sensations without trying to release the energy. Allow the emotion to rise to the surface, while continuing to do your slow breathing. Don't pay attention to the stories and judgments in your mind.

Continue to feel until the entire emotional charge is gone and you are feeling peaceful again. If possible, keep your attention in the body as long as needed in order to fully release the emotion.

By going through these steps, you will be uprooting the emotional charge at the root level. And if you need any help with your process, feel free to reach out!