Unexpected Techniques to Relieve Emotional Pain
With the focus on wellbeing that’s pervasive in our society, we clearly avoid pain at all costs. But no matter how much we try to hide from it, pain inevitably shows its face, for it is a part of life.
We don’t want to ever experience bad times. We always want everything to go right, to constantly be happy and enjoy life. When pain turns up, we do not want to put up with or endure it.
“Do not be afraid of pain; either it will come to an end or it will bring about yours.”
-Seneca-
Learning to live with pain, knowing that it will come and that we will have to face it is a way of maturing and learning about our emotions . However, emotions often show up and settle down in us when we do not want them there.
Sometimes it is hard to control them, even if we have trained for it; this is because they have been forged in our unconscious mind.
Unexpected techniques to feel better
You may be dubious about the following techniques, but please, try to have an open mind. Do not question them right away, wondering if they are effective. Just practice them and see for yourself what effects they have on your mind and body.
Look for your special place
Look for a quiet place and put on some relaxing music and some aroma that you like and that relaxes you. Do you feel safe? Does this bring you peace and tranquility?
Make a drawing of that place. It will be a memory of that moment of peace and happiness that you experienced. Do not be afraid to go to your little hideout any time you need it. It will help you to disconnect from the outside world and connect to yourself.
Make your own collage
Look through old magazines for photographs that represent the pain that you want to leave behind. Do not think too much; just start cutting and putting together your collage.
When you have finished, ask yourself what you wanted to capture with your collage, what meaning it has, or what it symbolizes, exactly.
Observe it, breathe, and break away from it.
Take deep breaths without thinking about anything
Find a moment and a quiet place and lie or sit down in a comfortable position. Try to leave your mind blank.
Close your eyes and just concentrate on your breathing. Feel your stomach swelling and how the air comes slowly out of your nose. If negative thoughts invade your mind, let them flash by like a mere specter.
Let yourself go with the flow of your breathing…
Listen to music
Music is without a doubt one of the best tools for awakening emotions. Music activates our alpha waves, those responsible for peace and calm.
Put on music that represents the emotion that you want to rid yourself of. You will doubtlessly feel tremendous relief.
Tear up a piece of paper
Take a piece of paper, better yet, a colored piece of paper, a piece of paper the color that you believe represents the emotion that you want to leave behind. Tear it up slowly, feeling how you push your negative emotions into the paper. Concentrate.
Dedicate around 10 minutes to this activity.
Scribble like a child
Scribble just because. Do not think, just try to imagine that all of your negative emotions are being left behind in those doodles. Dedicate all the time that you need and see if you feel relieved or not.
And if all else fails…
Along with these curious techniques, do not be afraid to use other, more conventional methods:
- Do not judge your negative or painful feelings. Living with them is a part of the healing process. It is better to accept them than fight against them.
- Vent by crying. Crying relieves us, allows us to free ourselves. There is no doubt about it: crying is like a current that tugs and carries away the negative. We feel more relaxed, as if we had dropped a large weight from our shoulders.
- Talk to someone you really empathize with. Talking and being honest with someone who has beautiful words for us, who does not judge us, and who shows us affection can really help us.