I’ve been dealing with some issues in my career and I feel as if I’m finally letting myself feel whatever feelings I’ve been denying myself for a while. The feeling of rejection and failure.
Of course I have a very good support group that try to keep my spirits up, but I felt that it was important to let myself cry it out, be angry and down because the thought of just packing my emotions in would end in a more destructive way. I remember in both the Lakota Way and in the Christian religion, being allowed to mourn a loss, regardless of how significant is important. While I haven’t cracked a Bible in a while, I do remember a scripture that best describes this shift:
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.-Pslam 30:5
It’s only a small piece of a bigger quote, but the point is we tend to think that breaking down and crying is a sign of weakness, when really it’s a sign that we need a break from being strong all the time. We’re human and no matter how many motivational speeches you watch on youtube or how hard you try to stay upbeat, it’s fine to feel the pain and let it take it’s course. Yes, you can get caught up in depression but sometimes that’s part of the process. The Lakota believe in “facing forward,” meaning you have to face the reality of things. No, I don’t think I’m in a dire situation and I don’t think all is lost but I do think it’s important to face facts and after the emotional dust clears I can focus on what action I need to take.
It’s okay to feel bad about something that most people would feel bad about. A breakup, getting laid off, or even just having a bad day and yes your friends mean well when they tell you to cheer up and it’s great to know those people care about you. But sometimes you gotta take some time to let yourself feel the array of emotions and purge anything they may block you once your ready to move on.
