Making Space: Holding More Than One Feeling at Once
Our family spring break trip taught me my own lesson about having big, overwhelming feelings.
It was our first family trip without our whole family. Nearly two years ago, we adopted our Sheepadoodle pup and he’s simply come with us on adventures and become a pretty pro-traveler. But a road trip to southern Florida was not happening, so we were faced with finding a sitter for him while we were away.
Turns out this brought up a whole new flavor of pre-trip anxiety and let me give myself a dose of my own medicine as a remedy.
The Swirl
When faced with doing something new, it can bring up feelings. Mine generally has the flavor of worry around doing something wrong (hello Virgo rising energy).
Knowing what we do about our Buckle Bear, we quickly leaned toward using Rover.com so that he could enjoy his pup-cation in a home without a lot of crate time (affiliate link in case this inspires you to try it).
I felt so proud of myself getting it set up and finding someone to plan a ‘sniff and greet’ with. I felt ahead of the game.
Then they ghosted me.
Now we were a couple weeks from leaving and starting over, and starting to overthink and feel all the feelings.
The first person sounded so good on their profile. How can I find someone else?
What if I can't find anyone? Do we need to cancel our trip?
What happens if I do find someone, but he hates it there and they can't keep him?
He’s going to miss us so much and not understand that we'll be back.
Getting caught up in these stories was draining my excitement about our getaway.
Sound familiar?
After emotionally swirling a bit while going through the motions, finding another great family, having a successful meet-up and getting closer to take-off, I realized I needed to take a bit of my own medicine that I tell my kids when their own feelings start to swirl and take over.
Heart-Centered Awareness
Just like when my kids start the morning saying they don’t want to go to school, and their moods start to go off the rails, I’ve learned how to help us navigate these feelings.
When big feelings start to swirl and expand, it is helpful to remind yourself that you can hold two feelings at once.
This simple awareness opens the door for a more grounded energy to enter the chat, while acknowledging the one you’ve been feeling. In a way, it’s like taking a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.
I reminded myself that of course I feel anxiety because it stems back to a very real trait of my wiring. But I could acknowledge that I was feeling that loud feeling while also recognizing the evidence that-
He had a great time with our Rover’s dog when we met
The family and I got along great (even with the awkward first date vibes)
He has adjusted well to places we traveled together
This guy being such a good boy on his pupcation
And that maybe, just maybe, he will actually have the time of his life, even while missing us a little bit.
And that’s exactly what happened.
In fact he probably had a better time on his pupcation than we did!
This reminder didn’t stop me from welling up while I packed up his gear, or nearly losing it when I said ‘bye’.
But it did help me feel a sense of calm and confidence throughout the process while honoring the feelings stemming from the realities and stress of family travel.
Your Adventure of the Week
Take this piece of guidance with you this week. Notice when a loud feeling starts to swirl. And when you take a breath, see if you can create space to hold two feelings at once. Intentionally draw in one that you also believe to be true and helps you anchor into the moment and slow the swirl.
Overwhelm can creep up even in moments you are looking forward to. If the swirl stems from your to-do list, learn how you can Revamp Your To-Do List and feel prepared with less guilt and more ease.
Journaling and self-reflection has been a key part in my own self-discovery journey. Whether you write your answers down on paper, talk them out with a friend or reflect on them during a walk or even while scrubbing up in the shower, exploring these questions with an open mind and a spirit of curiosity will help reveal the answers deep in your heart.
Ask yourself-
What feeling tends to make my emotions spiral out?
What happened the last time a loud feeling took over?
Why do certain situations make my feelings spiral up faster than others?
How can I use this idea of holding two feelings at the same time the next time I start to feel the swirl, to make me feel more grounded?
Notice what clarity comes through when you offer yourself the opportunity to cut through the mental clutter and really start to notice things about yourself in different situations.
If you’re in the swirl and ready to walk through it together, I’ve got you. The Glow Foundations course is designed to help you discover the nuances of what lights you up, while being in the middle of the swirl of life.
Discover how to use the 9 facets of your glow to navigate moments of stress and overwhelm with more confidence and ease.
What feelings are you swirling in?
Stephanie Rose is a mom, wife, business owner and a forever student in finding ways to know herself better. She acts as a guide for your own journey of navigating your unique glow with a blend of quantum physics, Human Design, and intuitive exploration to curate a life that truly lights you up.
Through the Glow Map, discover where to take meaningful, aligned action in your everyday life and simplify the process of pursuing your heart-led dreams with ease and confidence. Sign up for her newsletter and check out her other free resources and start your journey today!
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Preparing for family vacations can bring up a range of feelings, especially when having to find a pet sitter for the first time. Learn the simple tip to help tame the emotional swirl and get a handle on the stress that comes with a family spring break trip.