balancing painful experiences
To heal, I must feel my feelings. Yes, I knew that and allowed myself to feel the painful experiences.
Yet I had a problem. Feeling my feelings zapped me. As I experienced the painful feelings of fear, frustration, anger, and worry about my son during his addicted years, it seemed to lead to depression; maybe not clinical depression but such a dark void that it was extremely difficult to climb out of. This very unbalanced state often lasted weeks.
Then I learned about the practical and magical strategy called ping-ponging.
A simple way to live with greater balance.
It’s quite simple. Allow yourself to feel your feelings/PING, to sit in the discomfort or pain for a specified amount of time. Maybe 10 or 30 minutes, a few hours, or a day; whatever time frame you mindfully choose. Then do something you love/PONG. You might not be totally loving that something like you had in the past, but you are being kind, caring, and gentle with yourself. You are nourishing your ability to enjoy.
For me, this experience of consciously allowing myself to feel my painful feelings for a set time and then equally welcoming happiness is one of my most used and well loved balancing strategies for balancing painful experiences. May it bring you healing & greater moments of joy.