Gems from the Therapy Room – Don’t chase happiness

Gems from the Therapy Room.
Don’t chase happiness. Make room for all of life’s emotions. Be open to all the ups and downs.
Focus on connectedness and compassion for yourself and others. In the west we are afraid of the more painful emotions. The stigma says that if you feel them, there is something wrong with you. This is wrong. If you feel them, you are human.
Each emotion has its own function. A message. When we listen to that message it can help us steer our life toward our own values.
We can learn to listen to emotion, learn from it, manage it’s intensity and to look after ourselves through it. When we do this we no longer need to escape from or avoid potential triggers.
Happiness is a by-product of living in line with our own values and we feel it in balance with all the other human emotions.