Feeling Guilty?
You’re standing at the kitchen sink, rinsing the last few dishes. The kids are playing together, and the babysitter will be here any minute. You take a deep breath, feeling a small flutter of excitement rise up inside you. “It’s been so long since I’ve had a night out with friends”, you think. “A nice meal, a drink, real conversation with adults…I can’t wait!”.
There is a knock at the door and the babysitter has arrived. You greet her, give a few quick instructions, and call out your goodbyes. For a moment, everything feels right until your five-year-old catches your eye.
Sitting in It
What if, instead of running from sadness, we chose to pause and sit with it? Sadness, like anger, is one of those emotions we often wish would simply disappear. Our natural tendency is to ignore it, push it away, or act out in ways that leave us feeling worse. And yet, when we do this, we often end up feeling unlike ourselves and inauthentic.
While avoiding sadness might feel like a reasonable short-term solution, have you ever noticed how it can make the sadness linger even longer in the long term?
Can you find some space for self-compassion?
Sometimes life is hard and our capacities shift and change. One day things feel impossible while the next day we feel strong. Can you find some space for self compassion?