It is fascinating how weather impacts my mood. The overcast sky and bitterly
cold temperatures have me feeling drained, withdrawn, and antisocial. Then
with just the faintest glimpse of the sun, I flip-flop and become cheery, energized,
and motivated. Anyone else?


I have never really asked why?!? Besides the vitamin D that sunshine provides, I
wonder if my mood shifts have more to do with being an Enneagram 4. As a 4 on
the Enneagram, my ferocity, and velocity of feelings can seem extreme. But for me, I love to
feel all the feels and wonder if the cold, overcast weather secretly gives me
permission to go inward and spend time on me.


Give Yourself Grace


I am an open book, so it’ no wonder I am talking about my feelings yet again in
this blog. Yet my motivation is larger than that. It is to lend some acceptance to
the fact that we all are different and handle feelings differently. My husband
handles his feelings in almost an opposite manner to me. We need not feel guilt
or shame about our feelings, nor wrong someone else for theirs.


We are all on a journey and we will not be happy all the time, nor should we. And
if your reaction to your emotions are not physically or emotionally harming
yourself or others, it is okay to feel the variation in emotions we as humans
have.

Our society teaches us to bury, push down deep and get over negative feelings
and emotions, but the feelings themselves are neither right nor wrong. And there
is no reason to believe that one person’s reaction to a particular event is
somehow more valid than another’s.


When our feelings are not the same as those around us, we tend to dismiss our
feelings, or their feelings, as irrational or incorrect. But please remember to be
gentle with yourself and others. Give yourself grace as life really is a journey.

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P.S.S. Did you enjoy this blog? Read more from Jessica’s Journal or watch Jessica’s Saturday Sessions.