3 Times When It Is Beneficial to Box Up Feelings
Do you box up your feelings?
by Jayanti Burst
Can We Box Up Our Feelings in a Good Way?
It is important to feel our feelings-whether they are painful, joyful or equivocal-instead of suppressing or judging them. There are times when it is both healthy and helpful to box up our feelings. Read on for three ways to do just that.
To begin, we’ll start by gathering a few supplies. Although three small boxes are recommended, envelopes or folders work just as well. A writing utensil and a few pieces of paper will come in handy, too. Once we’ve done this, we find a quiet space and time for self-reflection.
Letting Go Box – Time for Release
This first box is all about things to release. We can think of it like a compost bin for the emotions, irrational mental patterns, and whatever no longer serves us. This is where we write down our worries, fears, doubts, disappointments, insecurities, anxieties, and anything we think may act as a deterrent to living the best life possible. Negative memories, experiences, and beliefs go in this box.
Drawing our feelings can help us to be more free and honest with this activity. It is advantageous to do this spontaneously with little deliberation. When we’re open to surprising ourselves, it is remarkable what the subconscious mind reveals. And the subconscious mind plays a big role in our behavior, even though we’re not usually aware of it. At the end of the day, or perhaps once a week, burn or rip up whatever is in this box.
Gratitude Box – Clearly Thankful
Now that we’ve taken steps to clear resistance, we’ll count our blessings in the second box. Thankfulness not only encourages a change in perspective but also it is known to lower stress (ahem, letting-go-box stuff). Whether mundane or miraculous, we can be grateful for it all.
From family, shelter, and food to unexpected opportunities and synchronistic events, write down anything that comes to mind. It could be a sweet message from someone that made us smile or a random act of kindness. This is also a great opportunity to show ourselves some self-love and appreciation.
Dream Box – Highest Potential Wishes
Let’s consider whatever we put in this box as seeds. Whenever we think of something we hope to manifest, write it down, fold it up, and plant it in the dream box. It could be a career goal, a dream vacation, or a wellness intention; the only limit is the imagination. It is a bonus when we let ourselves visualize and experience what it would feel like to see these visions bloom. This is a wonderful place to write down prayers for others as well. Putting crystals or gemstones in the dream box can help it hold our energy and boost our manifesting potential.
Make Working with Boxes Easier and Fun
Since it is not always feasible to carry around boxes with us, jotting ideas down in a notepad or typing them in our phones can be helpful throughout the day. Although typing is often more convenient, there’s something to be said about handwriting. It forces us to slow down and stimulates the brain more than the keyboard. Taking the time to write our feelings and hopes encourages us to focus more as well as be more creative. Speaking of creativity, it can be fun to decorate the boxes or personalize them.
There are countless other boxes we can create and use similarly. For instance, we can make one for acknowledgments and place within it notes outlining things our intuition tells us we should be careful about or contemplate. It is a place to deposit our reality checks. This helps us embrace and pay better attention to what’s going on in our lives. The options are truly limitless when we think outside the box!
About the Author
Jayanti is a certified hypnotist, yoga instructor, and advanced Reiki master/teacher, who holds a safe, supportive space for self-healing. Specializing in helping women, she offers Hypnobirthing and Hypnofertility sessions along with prenatal/postnatal yoga classes in Asheville, North Carolina and from a distance. Dedicated to helping people reconnect with their true selves, Jayanti crafts sessions that are inherently meditative. www.jayantibhakti.com
