When Emotions Hijack Us

Life is full of surprises. Some are great. Some are good. Some are, well, not what we would want.

Some are painful, even tragic.

When we get surprised by a hit – a betrayal, affair, divorce, financial disaster, job loss, death – our hearts shudder. Emotion surges forth. Suddenly life is not business as usual.

The Heart: A Unique Combo of Logic and Emotion

“I’m slow at this grief thing. I’m learning to express what I’m feeling. Sharing what I’m going through isn’t natural for me,” Art said.

“I’m not good at it, but I’m trying,” he continued, smiling.

Art had lost his wife, Sylvia, several months previously. He was in new territory. He didn’t feel like himself. No wonder.

All of us live using a unique combo of logic and emotion. You may normally operate more in one realm than the other. When in shock or grief, however, emotion begins to take over. No matter who we are, logic tends to take a back seat.

When Feelings Hijack Us

When disaster strikes, emotions can hijack us. Suddenly we find ourselves underneath the wave, gasping for air, soaked with an unusual intensity of feelings.

Expressing emotion is important. Some keep a journal. Other speak it out loud. Others might write letters to a departed loved one.

It’s surprising how powerful a simple, “I feel sad,” or “I feel angry,” can be.

Pay attention to your feelings. Your heart is worth it.

Here’s an affirmation for today:

“I’ll learn to pay attention to what I’m feeling. This is part of honoring you.”

With practice, we can learn to ride the waves that once buried us. Emotions are real, but they are not necessarily reality. Feel them. Process them.

Over time, your heart will find the proper balance again. But it will be different than before because you are not the same. You will have grown.

"He that conceals his grief finds no remedy for it." – Turkish Proverb

Adapted from the bestseller Heartbroken: Healing from the Loss of a Spouse (USA Best Book Award Finalist, National Indie Excellence Book Award Finalist)