If all emotions are valid… how can an emotion be toxic?
The truth is – all emotions are valid, they are your natural response to a situation. However, not every emotion is accurate, and holding onto inaccurate emotions can turn them into toxic emotions if you’re not careful.
So, how do you learn to recognize and release these toxic emotions from your life?
Let me walk you through it.
Anger is valid.
Guilt is valid.
Shame is valid.
As a human being, you’re going to experience a gamut of emotions and that includes the ones we typically think of as negative or toxic. But, sometimes bitterness, regret, self-loathing, and resentment are natural responses to situations you find yourself in.
If you don’t process them when they come up, they offer no positive benefit to your life.
That’s when you’re dealing with toxic emotions and they aren’t just a problem to you, they can impact every facet of your life, studies have shown that emotions can be contagious, so it’s important that you learn how to get to grips with them.
Why Are Toxic Emotions An Easy Trap To Fall Into?
Humans are naturally negative, the brain is wired to zero in on those negative circumstances you find yourself in. There’s also research that suggests that by sharing negative ideas about someone else, you are create a deeper bond with that person. It might feel great to establish that bond initially, but if it’s rooted in negativity, it’s not going to be an emotionally healthy friendship. So, you can see why it’s easy to fall into the trap of toxic emotions, but it isn’t as easy to climb out of that pit of despair once you’re in it.
Processing Toxic Emotions
The good news is positive emotions are just as contagious as the toxic ones. So, by learning how to process your toxic emotions, you are improving your ability to embrace the positive ones.
One of the most effective ways to deal with your toxic emotions is by surrounding yourself with happier, positive people who will spread their emotions to you. That can give you a bump in mood that will leave you better equipped to handle the nasty, toxic ones that have been plaguing you.
Think of it as resetting your baseline – everyone knows how difficult a workplace can be with a toxic boss who sweeps in with negativity every morning. It upsets the entire balance of the office, that’s what spending time with negative or toxic people is doing to you. Of course, this is much easier to do in your personal life where you have the most control.
What about the rest of those toxic emotions?
The Necessary Steps
Step 1. Self-Awareness
The biggest challenge is to recognize the emotion you’re feeling and that’s where self-awareness and mindfulness come into the equation. Notice it and let yourself feel it without judgment.
Let yourself fully it feely.
The more you practice mindfulness, the easier it will become to recognize those emotions.
Step 2. Self-Expression
You can’t process an emotion unless you express it because the goal is to work through the emotion’s energy to purge it from your body. Self-expression is authentic and understanding what the emotion is trying to tell you is a big part of the puzzle. Do you need to cry? Then cry. Do you need to run it off? Run it off. Do you need to scream? Grab a pillow. Free yourself of those toxic emotions.
Step 3. Self-Care
Self-care is essentially your reset button – you can embrace healing and recharge your batteries. It’s all about slowing down and engaging in activities that build you back up after you do the hard work of working through toxic emotions.
Do not skip the self-care step.
