I have recently been reading ‘Untangle Your Emotions’ by Jennie Allen and ‘Why Can’t I get It Together’ by Jamie Ivey. I have also been continuing to read different podcasts about singleness and how to be both independent and interdependent.
During my reading and listening I was reminded of some of what I learned in college about naming the emotions you are feeling. Sitting in the emotions for a time and then sharing them with others to help you move through processing what is happening rather than getting too far deep alone. It made me think about a weighted blanket.
If you have ever used a weighted blanket, you know how comforting they can be. Taking deep breaths, calming your anxious body as you let the weight lay over you. Naming your emotions and taking a minute or 20 to lay and be in the emotion can be very healthy. Sometimes I even go to bed for the night under my weighted blanket once I calm my heart rate and my mind and finally sleep. At some point, you need to get up. It is easier to get up once you share your emotions/ experience with another person so that you do not need to carry the full weight. You can pray about it and lay your heavy lifting down, or you can talk with someone and let them take some of the heavy lifting. Tell another person and they may take some of your heavy as you in turn take some of theirs as well. A weighted blanket is good for a time, but eventually you need to get out from under the blanket and continue on. — If you do not have anyone to talk to, you can pray out loud. It may feel a little silly at first, but just like when we write, sometimes when you speak your prayer you may express more truth beyond what you pray in your thoughts. Praying with another person or a group out loud can be powerful, too.
The idea of being interdependent was new for me as I have been Miss Independent for a long time. I have been trying to learn to be interdependent. To not fix every problem that is brought to me. I have noticed that when I let myself sit in a problem either alone or with someone, I am more creative on how to solve then problem than if I would just try to fix it quickly. Talking with others and letting others take some of them “AHHHHH” off my shoulders, and taking some of their “AHHHHH” so that we both end up not carrying as much as we were alone. Yes, this sounds like what friendship is supposed to be. Do we always practice it though? Speak about your true feelings rather than just brushing it under the rug as if the weight of your emotions are only 1/4 of the weight that it actually is. Others will share their real feelings more once you start opening up.
Even when we continue to read and learn more, there will always be more to learn about or new ways to think about life. It was good to be reminded about what I already knew about emotions, and to create this analogy of feeling the weight, and letting it go just like when you use a weighted blanket. Perhaps this has reminded you of something you already knew, or given you something new to think about as well.
“Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
“Your feelings aren’t trying to control you – they are trying to tell you something.” – Jennie Allen
“To feel is to live, to live is to feel.” – Jennie Allen
A Time for... Everything 
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