This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness… Welcome them and attend them all… He may be clearing you out for some new delight… Welcome difficulty, Learn the alchemy True Human Beings know: the moment you accept what troubles you’ve been given, the door opens. – Rumi

There are certain emotions that can wash over us like a tidal wave, love and anger come to mind. But it’s important that we don’t let our emotions wash us away. When emotions take us over we are no longer in the driver’s seat, instead we are overwhelmed and overrun only to do damage control later on. The point is to see beyond the swell, beyond the gripping pain or ecstatic elation. If we can listen to what’s behind each emotion, it will tell us everything we need to know about where we are and what we need to be looking at.

Trust me, I am the first person to want to stomp around and slam doors when I’m pissed off. I like to say I get that from my mother, but in reality, just below the surface of that anger lurks regret or frustration about decisions made or not made. Even deeper down is a nudge to listen to what really wants to be heard and bravely follow the voice within that’s hard to hear. Our unruly emotions point us directly towards old wounds that are asking for some much-needed attention and healing.

When emotions come to carry us away, and they will, it’s time to ask the very question we are most afraid to ask, why. Why does this person, situation, or idea make me so angry, sad, or overwhelmed? What’s underneath all of that, is what’s got ahold of us. If we can regroup and reflect, we’ll be able to see what’s really eating at us, only then do we have a chance at healing.

Times like these are what journaling was made for. Writing it out can help us get down to the bare bones of our emotions and the ways they push us around. Take some time to wrestle with the whys and the what’s and see where it leads. Dialogue with your overwhelming emotions, ask them questions, let them have a voice, and see what answers slowly begin to reveal themselves. This is how we get closer to what’s driving the emotions that can hold us hostage. After you’ve written it out go back and underline the sentences that pull at your heart, make you cringe, bring you to tears, or make you angrier. These are the answers you’ve been looking for.

The deep feelings that break our hearts need to be heard in order to be healed. Don’t stay away any longer, open to what you’ve been running from. Welcome each emotion in its turn and let them transform your life.

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