I got pretty angry with boundaries constantly being crossed by others recently. As I was pondering on my anger with presence, all of the sudden I realized one thing: Anger is such a simple emotions that feel the same all the time no matter what have happened. And it will fuel you up for a few days, and after a while, you let it go if you stop engaging with the source of it.
The big question in my mind isn’t on how to not feel my emotions, but the ability to disengage with it. Because we will always be bothered by people or things in my life anyway. How might we find rest in ourselves and recharge during turbulence?
The act of problem solving is indeed great, but no one can solve it 24-7 with a clear head. What I learn about emotions is to surrender to it but finding a good opportunity to refresh yourself like you restart your computer. Hence, I feel excited to learn about this (Yes I’m still angry but Esther cannot let go of good chance to practice).
So the big question is: How to detach from challenging emotions? What activities make you feel the most present?
Today, I tried meditating, it doesn’t really work. I then tried shouting in the park with friends, it works a bit but the emotion returned very soon. I tried coding out a fighting game, I think this is indeed my impulse coding problems.
And then I went to the dance class. As I was dancing, I realized, I started to feel happy and forgot the emotions that hold me back. Because I’m physically engage, my mind doesn’t get a chance to think. I just try to be on the beat. I realized the key is to do some stressful physical activities.
Dance
Go to my dancing class? I get some level of presence. But go to my dance training for my dance team? Yes and yes and yes. My dance trainers are strict and moves are difficult. You will get a lot of problems for yourself and your dance partner with one moment of distraction.
Exercise
Go to gym? Some level of presence. But crossfit class? Yes and yes and yes. Because if I don’t focus, I’m pretty sure I will die in front of my instructor. Even when today I’m doing the 30 min set competing with other people, I’m still the slowest like I always do. I usually cry a bit in the class because this is too hard for Esther, so I’m already proud that I didn’t cry today. But anyway, I’m pretty sure my mind doesn’t dare to move to other places when I’m climbing on the rope or pushing my entire body up with pain.
Isn’t that interesting? Stress makes us focus and presence. Because whenever we are stressed, our entire mind will be focus on the source of the stress, and physical stress takes away that mental process our mind is going through.
Weirdo friends, I know emotions are going to cloud my mind soon. So I’m writing this post in my full speed, and ready to go to bed and sleep. So please ignore my typos! Btw forget to ask you, what activities make you feel the most present? How do you detach from your challenging emotions?
I think the one that makes me feel really present is to meet up with friends, old and new, although my energy is always draining a little bit too fast to talk to people all the time
Are you attaching to detaching your emotions? Sorry, I couldn't stop myself. Yours reminded me about the science associated with how emotions are formed. It turns out that emotions as the the story goes are formed by "thought". And, every emotion apparently links to multi-thoughts or ideas? This makes the effort to evaporate an emotion rather complicated, particularly if we try to unthink our emotions. Is it possible to notice an emotion as "what is" without or beyond thought? Hmmmmmmmm?