EMOTIONAL DISCIPLINE: What is it?
Emotional honesty is a challenge! As simple as it is to say that “the truth will set me free”, it is not easy to live this way. Experiences regularly come along that stir uncomfortable feelings. Sometimes I’d rather not feel what’s going on inside me. Like any person, I have longstanding ways of avoiding inner truth. Sadly, what I judge unworthy of attention in myself, I consider unlovable – and this keeps me distant from myself, and from others.
If I am to live in the truth with myself and others, emotional discipline is required. It takes work to develop the courage to face my feelings. If I work at it, I can learn to allow the surprise of my feelings – and to be ready for whichever one shows up. Suddenly there is energy in my body, calling for awareness. My choice is in how I respond to what I feel. What will I do with the energy within me right at this moment? I experience my power when I’m aware of what I’m feeling as an opportunity for choice.
Discipline prepares me to make choices while I’m going with the flow. This may be the secret to a life well lived.
Emotional Discipline is a series of experiential exercises, all designed to provide practical tools for accepting and understanding my feelings, as well as making them available in a relationship. These tools include basic methods for self-awareness, and enhanced methods for going deeper.
The practice of Emotional Discipline enables you to:
- Discover the inner strength that comes with honoring your feelings.
- Learn how to experience rather than avoid difficult emotions.
- Find the way to allow your feelings to connect you with others.
- Explore your history with specific empowering emotions.
- Realize how experiencing your feelings puts unfinished business to rest.
- Allow conscious breathing to enhance awareness of what you are feeling.
- Focus the meaning in your feelings to clarify which choice best serves you.
Recommendation: these practices will be most beneficial if you have a dedicated journal in which you can record the wisdom that you gather from reflecting on your experience.
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