Staying Open to Our Feelings

Many of us have gotten so good at following the "don't feel" rule that we can try to talk ourselves out of feelings, even in recovery.

Part of working a good program means acknowledging and dealing with our feelings.  We strive to accept and deal with our anger so it doesn't harden into resentments.  We don't use recovery as an excuse to shut down our emotions.

Yes, we are striving for forgiveness, but we still want to feel, listen to, and stay with our feelings until it's time to release them appropriately.  Our Higher Power created the emotional part of ourselves. God is not telling us to not feel; it's our dysfunctional belief system that is.

We also need to be careful how we use affirmations; discounting our emotions won't make feelings go away.  If we're angry, it's okay to have that feeling.  That's part of how we get and stay healthy.

Today, I will refuse to accept shame from others or myself for feeling my feelings.