Be Strong, Acknowledge and Express Your Emotions

Whenever we are asked, "How are you?" Instinctively, we respond, "I'm fine," even if we may really be struggling. Our culture teaches us to hide our true emotions and provide a trite, clichéd response.

However, imagine the consequences of going against social norms and saying what you actually think and feel. Imagine you didn't try to bury your feelings but instead spoke openly about them. Most, it seems, would be taken aback. Yet we all realize that being open and vulnerable about our emotions results in deeper relationships with others.

Exposing your own vulnerabilities is an effective method to build stronger bonds with others and create more meaningful connections. You should never assume that being vulnerable indicates weakness. It takes courage to do so, but the benefits of improved immediate connection and stronger connections are well worth the effort.

Feelings are not good or bad, they are just labeled as such.

It's vital to keep in mind that despite the pejorative connotations sometimes attached to them, so-called "bad" feelings aren't inherently bad.

Feelings are not inherently positive or negative; rather, they serve as moods and indicators that draw our attention to the circumstances that provoke them. As a result, we may be inspired to provide more or less of a specific type of encounter, respectively.

Negative emotions, in contrast to certain others, are not always pleasurable to feel. But it's important to remember that feelings like this have a purpose and may be extremely helpful.

It is not the experience of an emotion itself that is good or terrible or healthy or unhealthy; rather, it is the response or conduct that follows from the feeling that is being evaluated. Although we can't always prevent ourselves from feeling sad, angry, or frustrated, we can manage how we respond to these feelings and the actions we do as a result of them.

Consider the emotion of anger. It's normal to be angry sometimes, and that emotion may be useful in figuring out what you won't put up with in a relationship or a scenario. However,  anger itself is neither good nor bad, however our responses and actions when we are furious might be judged as such.

Sadness and anger are two of the most challenging emotions to manage. But keep in mind that there will be challenges on the way to achieving any great goal. Opposing this approach will simply make things more difficult. That being the case, accept it. Give yourself permission to feel whatever comes up, unfiltered. Give yourself permission to just exist. Feelings are only ripples on the front of the mind; don't let them keep you trapped.

Be courageous, show your strength by sharing your emotions.

What comes to mind when you consider what it means to be vulnerable? For many of us, being vulnerable conjures up emotions like dread, ambivalence, or embarrassment. It's possible that as a culture we've been conditioned to hide our emotions.  What some don’t realize is that showing vulnerability or any kind of emotions for that matter is strength. 

It's terrifying to put oneself out there because of the risk of being rejected or failing. That's why it's natural to look for ways to protect ourselves from showing weakness. Despite its negative connotation, vulnerability is an essential aspect of the human condition.

By letting our guards down and being vulnerable, we are able to stop faking and start being ourselves.

Exposing our weaknesses helps us develop empathy. We may lower our guard, making it simpler to comprehend and communicate our emotions and inspiring others to do so. As a result, our capacity for compassion, forgiveness, and love grows.

Being open and honest about our feelings helps facilitate the process. When people are willing to let their guard down, it benefits their psychological and emotional wellbeing.

Do not apologize for showing vulnerability.

In line with that, don't feel bad about shedding some tears.

Whether it's your partner, your parents, your brother, or anyone who asks, "Are you okay?". 

Sadness is not something that has to be excused. It's okay to feel sad; in fact, sometimes feeling down is really important in ways that most people can't even begin to fathom.