What Your Emotions Tell You About Growth

This post was originally published on September 17, 2020, on Instagram as part of Her Growth Collective.

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Happy Friday Eve! The weekend is almost here and tonight’s #hergrowthcollective topic is one that you should really let simmer for a few days. That’s because tonight we are talking about triggers and how triggers can lead to growth. ⠀

I’m going to start with a question, how did you feel when you saw this image tonight? Did it kind of nonchalantly roll off your back? Like, "Yeah... true statement. Moving on." 🙂⠀

Did it light a fire in you? Were you like, "Hell ya! Smash the patriarchy!" 💪⠀

Did it make you angry? Was your initial response something like, "Don’t tell me what’s holding me back. You don’t even know me!" 😡⠀

Strong emotional responses, whether perceived positively or negatively, are telling you something about yourself. It’s worth reflecting on those emotions and trying to figure out why. ⠀

Let’s look at these responses again. ⠀

Response 1: Emotionally neutral. Acknowledge the truth of the statement without getting emotionally hijacked. (Confidence = Power)⠀

Response 2: Aggressively positivity. Fun in the right context but if it’s actually hijacking your emotions that’s not a good sign. (False confidence - got this tidbit from my podcast interview with Roya Mattis!)⠀

Response 3: Aggressive denial. No matter how much evidence you hear to this effect you refuse to accept that these forces are impacting your life in some way. (Willful ignorance)⠀

Can you see how responses 2 & 3 naturally derail growth? In response 2 your false confidence fools you into thinking you don’t need to grow. You’ve climbed that mountain. In response 3 you refuse to admit that you need to grow. You are somehow impervious to these forces in your life. ⠀

I’m going to be helping you identify your cultural trigger words and show you how to turn them into your power words at the @connectorconference next week. BUT for tonight, I just want you to start tuning into the idea that emotions are clues. Sit with them, reflect on them, give them space and time to breathe, and in return, they will reveal yourself back to you. 💛⠀