Do you ever get the sense that you feel things on a much greater level than the people around you? Sort of like a gut feeling. Not the type where you have A, B, C and D choices on the test and you go with your "gut." Heck, I'm sure that's a 25 percent chance we have all risked at one point or another. I'm talking about the feeling in the pit of your stomach. The one that helps you determine a person's authenticity, a person's intentions, the one that ultimately guides you when you have to make a really tough decision. For me, that "gut" feeling is driven by my emotions. #teamfeelings
Throughout my adolescence, there have been times where people have said to me, "You're very emotional." I always thought that there was something wrong with that—as if I was inferior or weak because I let my emotions "dominate me." But, I've come to the realization that I am, simply put, emotionally driven. I feel things deeply. And that is OK. It's taken me a long time to learn and accept that.
The thing is, I don't let my emotions control me. Sure, I get super anxious about an exam, I get sad when a Netflix series ends, a day well spent at the beach with friends will make me the happiest, and yes, I will most likely be the girl in the movie theater crying over a Nicholas Sparks chick flick. But my emotions are simply my reactions. They're just on the greater end of the spectrum. They make me who I am. The truth is, I feel sadness and joy equally. While some people have logic-driven brains and can easily solve a math problem, constructing a poem and putting together sentences comes effortlessly to me.
Being emotionally driven has helped me build some of the strongest relationships with the right people. It's helped me understand the root of my fears, and it's helped me manage my expectations. The truth is, even in times of loneliness and pain, it's hard to feel things so strongly. But I'm thankful for these emotions because it has helped me understand myself a bit more and allowed me to open up to new experiences.
We are the types of people who interpret emotions. We can spot when someone is having a bad day or when they have the best news. We go out of our way for others. We make decisions based off of what we feel rather than what seems reasonable. We're the type of people that know when someone is lying to our faces. We read people like we read books. We express ourselves creatively through our body language, singing, dancing and painting. We are the best listeners and observers. We instantly make deep connections when holding a conversation. We are free spirits who like to play by our own rules. We love adventure. If there's a problem, we are persistent in finding a solution. We are hopeless romantics—we desire to be kissed in the rain and are always wrapped in a romance novel.
Having your feelings and expressing them doesn't make you immature or too vulnerable or stupid. It makes you human. It just means that you are in harmony with yourself—you can be the most transparent and honest version of yourself. We don't "overreact." We just feel.
Take some time out of your day to understand yourself and your emotions. Figure out what makes you tick, how you express your opinions and how you digest information.
