Thursday, September 16, 2021
What are your emotional needs? You might think you have none, but I believe that attending to emotional need is as important as attending to spiritual and physical need. The need for community, for intimacy, for companionship, for expression of feeling, and for the manifestation of desire, are some of the most important facets of human longing. Otherwise, you are more like a robot – going through the motions but never attending to a greater yearning, one that arouses your emotions. Interpreting what your emotions and needs mean to you – that’s the hard part.
You may have a tendency to think your emotional needs are not important, or that they are irrational. I used to think that was the case – that emotions served little purpose! There’s nothing wrong with a desire for companionship; the desire to be loved; the desire to be understood; the desire to express generosity; the desire to share difficult feelings with a loved one, and so on. Within you lies a complex, multi-layered galaxy of emotion to explore and to express into this world. Your emotional wellness comes from expressing of the needs of a deeper desire that lies within your being.
Don’t be afraid to clarify your emotional needs and to share them with those you love. It doesn’t mean you’re needy, or weak, or dependent. It means you’re a human, just like everyone else, full of complex and deep emotional callings. Become aware of them and allow them to express who you are. Don’t be afraid to clearly articulate your emotional needs, and don’t be quick to dismiss them either. Respect them and never be afraid of where they might lead you. We all have emotional needs – it’s part of being human. Get clear about what’s inside of you, and pay attention to what you need! Express those needs, expose them to reality, and go where they lead you. They probably have a better idea of what’s best for you, if only you would pay attention to the stirrings of your soul.
Start each day by learning something about yourself!