SUPPRESSED EMOTIONS: Sometimes it’s not convenient to immediately process an emotion when it first presents. Ignoring or denying an emotion TEMPORARILY SHIFTS it to the top layer of our subconscious. This is termed ‘suppression’.
RESURFACING: This suppressed emotion then stays on the ‘to do list’ of our subconscious mind. It will then regularly re-surface to our awareness, until it’s properly addressed. Related life events can also trigger these suppressed emotions to resurface.
LIGHTEN THE LOAD: The resurfacing of an emotion is a reminder that more processing work is still to be done! Each time a suppressed emotion resurfaces, it’s another opportunity to fully process that emotion. Keeping an emotion suppressed for too long wastes a lot of mental energy.
CLARITY & VITALITY: Ideally we promptly PROCESS and CLEAR IT from our subconscious ‘to do list’. This ‘Emotional Hygiene’ lightens our mental work load, leaving us with more clarity and vitality.
PRACTISE THIS: Think of an emotion you have avoided or suppressed. It’s using up valuable headspace and wasting energy. Imagine how good it would be to let it go. Use this motivation to practise Challenge 2.
If we DELAY EXPERIENCING an emotion, it becomes SUPPRESSED. But it will RESURFACE again soon!
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