5 Emotions to Embrace Not Condemn

We are our worst enemy. While others persuade us to lighten up, we tend to punish ourselves, sometimes to a harmful extent. And sometimes, the situation is reversed, where it’s other people who put you down for feeling a certain way.

Healing begins when you accept the reality. The next step is to move on. Altogether, this is the process of embracing something in order to move past it.

People often say to embrace your quirks and be yourself. That’s because when you make peace with yourself, you have peace in life. The same goes for embracing certain emotions that might make us feel worthless, weak or in pain.

1. Conviction

Whether it came from another or from yourself, conviction is hard to take. Basically, it’s an intense form of humility and it can make you feel foolish and painfully apologetic. Sometimes, it may make you feel like an unforgivable sinner.

But there’s a reason conviction exists. It’s meant to teach us lessons and to work to change our ways. When you condemn yourself for feeling convicted, not only do you do yourself harm, but the problem isn’t fixed.

2. Grief

Grief is crucial, necessary, and it simply cannot be helped. When we deny ourselves the chance to grieve, we go against our natural emotional needs. When you think about it, grief is a beautiful thing. Sadness over a loss reveals our deep love for someone or something.

Sometimes, it may not be about a person, but it might be the loss of a job, a pet, a treasured item, a relationship, or an ideal opportunity. We should never feel ashamed for having such passion.

3. Anxiety & Fear

As someone who experienced the rough battle of an anxiety disorder, I know firsthand the power of embracing fears. During the very disarming panic and anxiety attacks I’ve experienced, I discovered that the best way to cope was to let it run its course.

In the midst of feeling fear, remind yourself that it’s going to be over soon. Fear is important, and its purpose is to warn us of danger. Being afraid of the things that aren’t necessarily dangerous to us shouldn’t make you feel worthless or weak.

Even if you have a strange phobia, embrace it! You are not required to give an explanation for it. Once you see it in a different light, it can become fun to share it with others who may have the same phobia.

But embracing fear does not mean hiding away and doing nothing to overcome it. Embracing fear is part of being courageous. You’re making peace with it. When you’re at peace, then you can do anything.

4. Ignorance

You’re probably quite familiar with the phrase, “Ignorance is bliss.” Well, sometimes, it very much is.

Being ignorant about certain subjects can be a bit unwise and if you’re ignorant by choice, then that’s on you. But if you’re ignorant by innocent default, then there’s nothing to worry about because that’s where learning comes in.

When you discover that you’re ignorant about something, it’s not the time to mope and tell yourself you’re stupid. It’s time to hit the books. Now’s your chance to learn something new!

5. Betrayal

Feeling betrayed can be quite the punch in the stomach. It throws a lot of other emotions into disarray, especially trust. It can be one of the hardest feelings to move on from, but it’s not impossible.

Embracing betrayal doesn’t mean you have to accept the wrongful actions done unto you, or act as if nothing happened. When you’re betrayed, it is necessary to cut the ties and hold back some trust. But you don’t need to condemn yourself for it.

When someone betrays you, it’s their problem, not yours. They were the ones who lacked the loyalty and kindness. Someday, they may have to deal with the emotion of guilt.

Condemning ourselves for having these emotions only makes things worse. By embracing them, we can move forward in healing from our wounds and letting go of what accompanied them.

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