How do you feel today? Happy? Sad? Tired? Content? Anxious? The list of available feelings can go on and on! It’s common for us to just pin our emotions on one word e.g. I feel anxious. Often clients in our counselling practice will us one word repeatedly, which can make things feel quite stuck and rigid.
From a personal and a professional point of view I’ve found that it’s a gamechanger to use the word AND. I’ve written it in capitals because I always visualise it that way – it also seems to give it the importance it deserves. For example, instead of just hitting on the first feeling or emotion that you can identify e.g. I feel tired; really give yourself time to breathe and to do a quick check in with yourself or body scan to see what else is going on for you right here, right now. It doesn’t matter if the emotions seem to be conflicting, e.g. I feel lonely AND I feel happy. If you’ve never done a body scan before, there are lots of free ones available online, Insight Timer is a great free app which has lots to choose from.
I’ve found that the word AND, although small can have great power. Clients often report that being able to say I feel anxious AND I feel excited AND I feel tired helps gives more space to and acceptance of their feelings and less rigidity and stuckness.
Can you try it for yourself? Challenge yourself to a twice a day check in – how do you feel right now? Don’t let yourself just settle for the first answer, really take the time to get at least three or four responses.
If you’d like support to work through whatever comes up for you, why don’t you get in touch for a FREE initial telephone consultation. We’re a team of therapists who see clients 6 days a week so we’re sure that there is a counsellor to suit your needs at a time to suit you.
