Mindful Emotions

March 20, 2022

I’ve been on spring break at Nizuc Resort in sunny Cancun, Mexico. It is blissful here.

And I’ve been a little irritated.

And growing more so each day. 

Actually, I’ve been pissed off!

And I’m pissed that I’ve been pissed off for no good reason. 

I’ve not been fully here—my anger/irritation has been a distraction.

I kept trying to let it go.

And I couldn’t.

Until this morning.

I’m juggling here. Juggling my kid’s needs, my husband’s needs, my work needs and I’ve forgotten mine, once again. 

I committed to getting a bunch of work done before leaving and that didn’t happen, so work is on my mind a lot (I really like my work by the way). 

I’m also bending my schedule to accommodate others who want to sleep in, stay up late, get up early, eat at different times or do different activities.

I want everyone to enjoy themselves.

Yet, I forget myself.

And this is often the way it goes when parenting.

However, this morning I woke up and chose myself.

My yoga

My meditation

And in the stillness, my anger spoke to me softly. 

“What do you need?”

And tears flowed.

Not because I am sad.

Because I finally started to pay attention to myself.

I know what happens when I don’t listen to my emotions.  

They get louder and more persistent. They demand my attention like a small child screaming for attention.

• • • • Listen to me! 
      • Pay attention to me!
      • Don’t ignore me!

Through my mindfulness practice, I’ve grown to understand the intelligence of each of my emotions and how they are here to support and inform me.

Paying attention to them is the key to being more self-aware and more present in all my moments.

When I allow my anger and listen to it, I can consciously take responsibility for getting my needs met and creating what I most want and desire—which in this case is to be more connected with my family.

But I cannot connect with them if I am not connected to myself first. 

Attending to myself makes me available to everyone.

Only then am I available to myself and my family. 

This morning I am grateful for my practice and all the ways it supports me and my family.

To parenting authentically, not perfectly,

Annmarie Chereso
Author, Speaker, Coach, & Meditation Teacher