TED Talk: The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage

Research on emotional suppression shows that when emotions are pushed aside or ignored,they get stronger. Psychologists call this amplification.

In this talk, Susan David discusses the concept of emotional agility—allowing ourselves to really feel our negative emotions, like sadness and anger, instead of pushing aside those feelings. She argues that brooding, bottling and false positivity always are unsustainable—internal pain always comes out.

Here are some ideas for the next time you are unsure how to label your feelings.

• Journal. Write about how you are feeling. You may find yourself pinpointing the cause of your emotions while expressing them.
• Acceptance. Instead of saying, “I’m fine,” or “I’m just stressed,” take a moment to really think about what it is that you are feeling instead of dismissing it.

Click here to watch the original Ted Talk!

What strategies and practices do you use when you’re not sure what you’re feeling? How do you help yourself let your feelings out without brooding or bottling up?