Feeling the feels (and not running away)

I’ve been thinking a lot about emotional management lately — especially after a really tough year of dealing with depression and anxiety.

I’ve lived with both for most of my life. But it wasn’t until recently that I got formally diagnosed. About a year ago, I hit rock bottom.

Since then, it’s been a slow, steady climb out of that place — thanks to therapy, medication, and a lot of introspection.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned?
It’s this: feel the emotion instead of running from it.

Sounds simple. It’s not.

The Old Pattern

My default move when I feel low?
Distraction.

Scroll through social media. Turn on the TV. Pour a drink. Hook up. Anything to get away from that uncomfortable, nagging feeling.

And hey, short-term? It works. Kind of.

But long-term? Those feelings don’t disappear — they just pile up and wait for you.

The Shift

These days, I’m trying something different: sitting with the discomfort.

I stop. I take a breath. I ask myself: What exactly am I feeling?
And then: Why might I be feeling this?

Just the act of naming the sensations and tracing them back to something real — it brings a kind of calm.

It doesn’t fix everything. It doesn’t magically make the sadness or anxiety vanish.

But here’s what it does do:
It puts me back in the driver’s seat.

Taking Back Control

When I acknowledge what’s going on instead of avoiding it, I regain a sense of control. I can choose how to respond. I can notice patterns. I can steer myself — gently — in a better direction.

It’s like taking a tangle of irrational, anxious thoughts and slowly untangling them into something clearer and more manageable.

That alone brings me peace.

And honestly? There’s something empowering about not needing an escape hatch every time things get tough.

The Bigger Picture

This whole practice reminds me of something else: delayed gratification.

It’s not flashy. It’s not quick.
But it’s solid. It builds emotional resilience over time.

It also makes me think about the role of boredom in our lives. In a world where every second is filled with notifications, screens, and content, boredom has become rare — maybe even undervalued.

But boredom creates space. Space to feel. Space to think. Space to grow.

And I think we could all use a little more of that.

Have you ever tried sitting with your feelings instead of pushing them away? What did you notice?