Suffering is a shared human experience.
You are not alone in your pain.
Emotions like anger, grief, loneliness, restlessness, and jealousy come like storms.
They often sweep away our house of joy and peace.
When we experience these emotions, not only are they difficult to bear, but we also tend to develop unrealistic expectations.
Why do we think we should be somewhere other than where we are right now?
SEE learning teaches us to be compassionate with ourselves.
Emotional regulation is only possible if we are present enough and if we fully accept difficult and risky emotions as part of the shared human condition.
A huge part of the journey is patience.
Not just patience as in waiting…
but patience to bear the difficult emotions you’re experiencing right now.
Patience to bear suffering.
Patience to move through suffering with the breath.
You are exactly where you should be right now.
It cannot be any other way.
Remember that your difficult emotions stem from valid needs and they arise from causes and conditions.
Reflect on your needs.
What do you need to rest and feel safe in your body?
You are worthy of love, peace, and happiness.
You are resilient.
Your fluctuating emotions are not a reflection of your self-worth or your progress.
Be with yourself, even in suffering.
Suffering is a noble truth.
Don’t judge yourself for feeling.
Breathe deeply—without self-criticism.
This is healing and the journey towards self compassion.
You Are Not Defined by Your Emotions
You have thoughts, a mind, a body, and emotions.
But you are not your thoughts.
You are not your mind.
You are not your body.
You are not your emotions.
These things will change, while your true nature remains perfect and complete.
You are worthy of happiness, simply because you are alive.
So stay alive.
Emotional Dysregulation
Let’s explore emotional dysregulation. If you’ve felt emotionally out of balance, you might recognize some of these experiences:
- Lashing out in anger
- Overreacting to minor challenges
- Shutting down instead of expressing your needs
- Strained relationships due to harsh words
- Bottling up emotions until they overwhelm you
- Ignoring your body’s signals to rest, leading to exhaustion burnout
- Chronic anxiety or passive-aggressiveness
- Physical symptoms like a lump in your chest, tight shoulders, or digestive issues.
If any of these sound familiar, know that you’re not alone. These are human experiences, not personal failures. Healing is possible, even when the monkey mind feels relentless.
The Power of Mindful Breathing
No matter how deep your trauma runs, no matter how persistent your monkey mind may be, healing is possible with the right tools.
There are countless tools available, and in SEE learning we use Help Now! Strategies. In the moment when a difficult emotion arises, or when the monkey mind takes over, the most underrated tool is mindful breathing.
It’s so simple that we often overlook it, searching for something more.
Breathe deeply.
No physical or verbal action.
Focus fully on the inhale and the exhale.
“Mindful breathing helps you become fully alive. And when you are really there, you can touch all the wonders of life that are available at this very moment.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh
A Journey of Self-Compassion
Healing doesn’t happen overnight. Mastering our emotions and uprooting our afflictions takes time.
But it begins with simple steps—like a single mindful breath.
Breathing deeply, with full concentration on the inhale and exhale, brings you into the present moment. It connects you to life’s wonders and reminds you of your innate worth.
You don’t need to be perfect, enlightened, or have it all figured out. One day we will get there, because we all have the seed of perfection within.
But for now, we will do our best.
Take each day one step at a time.
Be kind to yourself.
Remember the SEE learning Help Now! Strategies.
Hold your emotions with tender love and care.
And never give up.