<p><iframe src=\\”\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S_j8tTY8xAo?rel=0\\” height=\\”315\\” width=\\”560\\” allowfullscreen=\\”\\” frameborder=\\”0\\”><\/iframe><\/p>
\n<p><span style=\\”font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\\”>Much of the time we try to avoid feeling what we would call \u201cnegative emotions\u201d \u2014 sadness, fear, anger, hurt \u2014 by trying to force it out of our minds or by letting it explode out of us. Not only does this hurt ourselves, it can also hurt the ones we love unnecessarily. This avoidance can stimulate <a href=\\”\/our-services\/\\” class=\\”ui-editor-link-external\\”>anxiety, depression<\/a> and can foster substance abuse, disordered eating and is just generally detrimental our health and wellbeing. In fact, research has shown this to be a major component of psychopathology (Hayes, Wilson, Gifford, Follette, & Strosahl, 1996).<\/span><\/p>
\n<p>How do we deal with this, then, though? That leads us to the word of the day: <em>Acceptance \u2013 <\/em> but what is acceptance really?<\/p>
\n<p>Acceptance is an openness to seeing your true feelings and experiences in a way that is non-judgmental. That is, allowing them to be exactly what they are without forcing them to try to be something different. For example, right now I might be feeling anxious about recording this video. One of the first steps to me handling that anxiety is to acknowledge that it\u2019s here and <em>why <\/em> I believe it\u2019s here. In the process of trying to accept the anxiety, I notice that my hands are sweaty, my heart is racing and my breathing is slightly more rapid than normal. But they\u2019re here and they are what they are.<\/p>
\n<p>Allowing yourself to accept how you\u2019re feeling is the start to being able to communicate and manage your emotions more effectively. Take the chance right now and see if you can accept something about yourself that maybe you\u2019ve been avoiding for a while.<\/p>
\n<p>By <a href=\\”\u201dhttps:\/\/plus.google.com\/105182342113293066704?rel=author\u201d\\”>Alex Michaud<\/a>. Counseling Denver for a better life. <\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
<p><iframe src=\\”\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S_j8tTY8xAo?rel=0\\” height=\\”315\\” width=\\”560\\” allowfullscreen=\\”\\” frameborder=\\”0\\”><\/iframe><\/p> <p><span style=\\”font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\\”>Much of the time we try to avoid feeling what we would call \u201cnegative emotions\u201d \u2014 sadness, fear, anger, hurt \u2014 by trying to force it out of our minds or by letting it explode out of us. Not only does this hurt ourselves, it …<\/p>\n