Ah, emotions. That messy, unpredictable, “did-I-just-cry-during-a-car-commercial?” thing we all deal with. Society loves to slap labels on them:
✔️ Joy = Good, keep it!
✔️ Sadness = Bad, get rid of it!
✔️ Anger = Oh no, please pretend you’re fine and smile awkwardly.
But what if I told you that we’ve been completely misunderstanding emotions like anger and grief? Yep. Anger and grief are not your enemies. They are like your brutally honest best friends—annoying, and loud, but always telling you what you need to hear.
So, buckle up, because we’re about to dive into why anger and grief deserve a rebrand and how to work with them instead of against them. (Spoiler alert: Ignoring them doesn’t make them disappear, it just makes them explode later—usually at the worst possible moment, like in the checkout line at the grocery store).
🚨 Emotion Myth #1: “Anger is Bad and Should Be Suppressed”
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been told: “Calm down, don’t get so angry” or “Take a deep breath, it’s not a big deal”. 🙋♀️🙋♂️
Yeah, well… anger would like to speak to the manager.
Because anger isn’t the problem—it’s actually one of the most useful emotions we have. It shows up when:
✔️ A boundary has been crossed.
✔️ You’re being treated unfairly.
✔️ Something needs to change ASAP.
Imagine your anger as a spicy, no-nonsense personal trainer. It’s yelling at you not because it hates you, but because it wants you to stand up for yourself, set boundaries, and take action. Suppressing it is like trying to hold in a sneeze—you can do it, but eventually, something’s gonna blow.
🚀 What to Do Instead:
🔹 Acknowledge it. Ask: Why am I angry? What is this telling me?
🔹 Express it in a way that doesn’t require bail money. (Punching a pillow = ✅, throwing your phone = ❌)
🔹 Channel it into something productive. Some of the world’s greatest change-makers started with anger. (Ever heard of civil rights movements, feminism, or any revolution ever?)
💡 Fun Fact: Studies show that suppressing anger increases stress, anxiety, and even heart disease. So yeah, keeping it bottled up? Actually bad for your health.
🚨 Emotion Myth #2: “Grief is Just Extreme Sadness”
Grief gets a terrible reputation. People think it’s just sadness, but it’s so much more. Grief is the chaotic toddler of emotions—completely unpredictable and showing up in the weirdest places.
😢 Crying uncontrollably at a TV commercial?
😡 Getting irrationally mad at… air?
😂 Laughing at an inappropriate moment?
🛑 Feeling completely numb and wondering if you’re broken?
Surprise! That’s all grief. It’s not just sadness—it’s your entire being adjusting to a loss. It doesn’t come in a straight line, and it definitely doesn’t follow a schedule (despite what well-meaning people tell you).
🚀 What to Do Instead:
🔹 Let it be what it needs to be. Grief doesn’t come with an expiration date.
🔹 Ignore the “good vibes only” crowd. Saying “Everything happens for a reason” to someone grieving is like handing them a broken umbrella in a hurricane—not helpful.
🔹 Find healthy ways to process it. Writing, talking, movement, or just allowing yourself to feel without guilt is key.
💡 Weird but True: Some cultures encourage ritual screaming, crying, or dancing to release grief. Maybe we should try that instead of awkwardly whispering, “I’m fine” when we’re clearly not?
🤯 Why We Misunderstand These Emotions in the First Place
Because society has an emotional double standard.
❌ Happiness? Great, post about it on Instagram.
❌ Sadness? Fine, but keep it subtle and poetic.
❌ Anger or grief? Nope, suppress that, smile, and act like everything is awesome.
And the result?
👉 People walking around like ticking emotional time bombs.
👉 Chronic stress, burnout, and suppressed trauma.
👉 That weird phenomenon where you cry in your car for no reason because you’ve been holding it all in for months.
But here’s the good news: Emotional intelligence is not about ignoring emotions—it’s about understanding them.
✨ Final Thoughts: Embrace the “Bad” Feelings, Because They’re Actually Good
The next time you feel angry or deep in grief, don’t rush to push it away. Instead:
✅ Ask what it’s trying to tell you.
✅ Express it in a way that doesn’t land you in a viral meltdown video.
✅ Allow yourself to feel without guilt.
Because when you stop seeing emotions as enemies and start treating them as messengers, you unlock a whole new level of emotional freedom. And honestly? That’s where the magic happens.
🚀 Let’s Work Together!
If you’re ready to:
✔️ Understand your emotions instead of fighting them.
✔️ Release what’s been stuck in your body for way too long.
✔️ Learn how to actually work with your emotions (without judgment or guilt).
👉 Then let’s connect! I help people navigate their emotions, release stored trauma, and build emotional resilience in a way that actually makes sense.
📩 Reach out to me here by clicking on my name. 💫
Let’s turn your emotions into your superpower—and have a little fun along the way. 😏