In a world full of over-sharing, I have a tendency to under-share. It’s my naturally rebellious nature rearing its ugly head.
When things get tough, I isolate. I let my cells soak in loneliness and then I further accentuate this loneliness with a good dose of avoiding and denial.
Just because I meditate a lot, doesn’t mean that I’m always emotionally healthy.
If you find yourself with some of the big emotions — grief, loneliness, fear, broken-heartedness — it is so easy to sit by yourself, alone and away from the world that seems more focused on false eyelashes than real feelings.
So do just that. Sit by yourself.
There is a caveat. Allow yourself in this seat to acknowledge where you are. Do your bones ache from loneliness? Are you tired of pretending that you are okay? Do you yearn for unconditional love?
Admit it. Sit, and as you sit, imagine your breath carrying your emotions.
Allow your inhales to carry with them exactly what you need.
Allow your exhales to expel some of what you don’t. Some, but not all, because in our honest mindfulness, we need to admit that there is a whole lot of difficulty involved in the art of being human.
Before you even open your eyes, admit to yourself: do you need more alone time to integrate what you are going through? Or do you need a kind pair of eyes to bear witness to your struggle?
Breathe in. Breathe out. Be gracious with yourself and own it.
