Alchemizing Difficult Emotions to Support Your Transformation and Expansion

Challenging emotions, such as anxiety, fear, anger, and grief are unavoidable parts of the human experience. Despite our natural inclination to avoid them, suppressing these emotions only delays the inevitable. They will eventually resurface, demanding our attention.

Situations that trigger us are invitations to examine and challenge programmed (conditioned) beliefs that generate reactions or emotions we do not prefer. Next time you experience a challenging emotion in response to a situation, pause. Turn your gaze inward. GET CURIOUS, and follow these steps:

Identify the Limiting Belief That is Resulting in the Challenging Emotion

Start by asking: “what must I believe (about myself) in order for this reaction to occur?”

Here’s an example from my own life: 

I've noticed a pattern in myself: when someone I care about becomes distant or less engaged, I've typically responded with heightened anxiety and a strong desire to reverse the shift. Upon examining what was driving this anxious attachment, I realized that I must hold the core belief that rejection or distance from significant others implies a threat to my emotional safety and lovability:

“When the people I care about withdraw, I am unsafe and unloved” 

Consider How This Belief Was Serving You 

We hold on to beliefs because at some level we believe they are serving us in some way. The belief I shared above once served as a survival strategy, motivating behaviours that secured attachment and care from caregivers. However, it now limits my relationships and emotional resilience as an adult.

Thank the Old Belief, and Release It 

With compassion, acknowledge the roots of this belief and its intention to protect you. Express gratitude to your Younger Self and the belief for its well-intentioned safety measures. Now, gently let it go. You might say:

“I am releasing the belief that “[insert belief] back to the universe so that its energy may be transmuted and reintegrated for the highest good of the Collective” 

Replace the Old Belief With Convictions That Generate Emotions and Experiences You Prefer

Time to reprogram your Operating System (your brain). What we say to ourself (our "self talk") is incredibly powerful. We can convince ourselves of all kinds of things - so why not affirm a belief system that helps you navigate life with grace, resilience, and ease? 

Here’s an example of how to replace (reprogram) limiting beliefs with empowering affirmations:

• “When people withdraw, energy is being re-arranged in service of my highest good”

• “I always have access to the infinite love of the universe”

• “I trust that the universe presents these scenarios to me for my learning, expansion, and growth”

You now hold the keys to unlock emotional freedom. Remember that releasing limiting beliefs and embracing empowering ones takes time and practice. It's likely that you will have to reprogram the same limiting beliefs a few times. In my experience although old patterns of thought tend to resurface a few times before being transmuted, the associated emotion tends to be less and less overwhelming each time.

To be supported on your journey, I invite you to listen to the accompanying Reiki-infused meditation ("reikigram") entitled: Alchemizing Difficult Emotions

Until next time, lead with love.