Sitting with Emotions: Your Message Matters

Sometimes our emotions show up as overwhelm, impulsivity, or blank moments. This post guides you to pause, listen, and respond to what your feelings are really trying to tell you—with simple, practical ways to care for yourself.

Sacha M. Olan LMFT

10/1/20251 min read

Pause. Just for a minute.

Those moments of overwhelm, impulsivity, or even blank thoughts? They’re not random. They’re your body and mind trying to tell you something. So yeah… take a minute. Pause.

Our emotions need time. Time to be noticed, understood, and actually cared for. It’s uncomfortable sometimes, but necessary. These feelings are like little messengers—they’re pointing to your needs, your boundaries, maybe even things you really want. Ignoring them? Doesn’t work. Your body’s basically yelling, “Hey! Look at me!”

When you actually give yourself that moment, something shifts. You start to sit with your feelings differently. You start to understand yourself better. You create space to make choices that actually align with you.

Try asking yourself:

What’s this feeling trying to tell me I need right now?
Does it remind me of another time in my life—and what can I take from that?
If this feeling could talk, what would it want me to notice?

Once you’ve listened, pick one small way to care for yourself today. Some ideas:

Move it: sway, stretch, or let your body move however it wants.
Draw it out: colors, shapes, textures—whatever feels right.
Breathe with it: hand on your chest or belly, follow the rise and fall until it softens.
Give it sound: hum, sing, or play music that matches the feeling.
Ground through touch: hold a smooth stone, squeeze a stress ball, or notice your feet on the floor.

Taking these little pauses isn’t just “nice to do.” It’s how you start to really know yourself—and make choices that actually feel right.