Have you ever caught yourself saying “I’m fine” when that’s not really the whole truth? In this episode, I talk about what happens when we slow down and get honest about how we actually feel with the mix of emotions that come and go throughout the day.

A chat with a friend got me thinking about how we can be hopeful and nervous, happy and uneasy, all at once. It reminded me that our feelings don’t need to make perfect sense. They just need space to exist. I also share a small moment with a stranger that showed me how powerful it can be to simply pause, listen, and let someone be where they are.

This Wise Walk is about getting curious instead of critical. It's about noticing what’s really happening inside us and giving it room to breathe. When we do, we find a little more ease, a little more compassion, and a deeper connection to ourselves and the people we care about.

• When someone asks how you’re doing, do you pause to reflect and check in with your heart to see what you’re really feeling in that moment?
• Do you get curious about the emotions that surface, even the ones that might not feel comfortable or socially accepted?
• Can you acknowledge the full range of feelings inside you and express them honestly, whether or not you assign percentages or labels?
• Are you willing to go within and simply accept where you are right now, without judgment or resistance?
• As you move through your day, can you drop into your heart more often and get curious about the mix of emotions that make you human?
• Can you share your inner experience with the people you love so they begin to see their own emotional complexity too?
• Is it possible to hold two truths at once to feel excited and anxious, optimistic and a little scared and still trust that both are okay?
• Wherever you are in your heart space right now, can you accept and express yourself fully, just as you are?

Thanks for joining me for this week’s Wise Walk. I’d love to hear what resonated with you and what emotions surfaced as you listened, so feel free to reach out and share your thoughts.

Be sure to tune in next week as we keep exploring ways to deepen our awareness and live with more intention. Until then, prioritize fun as you stay curious about what your heart wants to show you.

In this episode:

• [02:56] After having this powerful conversation with my friend, I tweaked my back again. This is a powerful reminder of how fragile our bodies can be.
• [04:03] I'm mindful of the fact that my back hurts right now. I'm also excited about an upcoming wedding, but nervous about the flight. So I do have a range of emotions going on.
• [05:10] If it weren't for my conversation with my friend, I may not have had the awareness when my chiropractors receptionist stated that she didn't know how she was doing.
• [06:02] It's a beautiful thing when you can hold space for each other and see each other as the complex human beings that we are.
• [07:54] My friend had been working with this modality called internal family systems where she studied and learned language on how to express her emotions.
• [08:45] I love that her vulnerable sharing, plus me holding space for her, really brought this new language and this new dynamic to light.

Memorable Quotes:

• • “Sometimes the most powerful thing we can say is, ‘I don’t know how I feel right now,’ and trust that it’s enough.” - Mary Tess
  • “When we give ourselves permission to feel everything we’re feeling, we stop judging our emotions and start understanding them.” - Mary Tess
  • “Let's accept the full complexity of our hearts and show the younger generation how to do the same.” - Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

• Mary Tess Rooney
• Email
• Heart Value

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