a daily blog on well-being and how to feel better by Mark Barger Elliott…

Richard and Bernice Lazarus wrote a book in the 1990s on how to make sense of our emotions and suggested every emotion has a “plot.” Meaning, the emotions we feel are likely unfolding in a sequence that follows a somewhat predictable pattern. Why this is helpful is if we can step back and perceive anger,…

“Give yourself permission to write one song,” encourages Jeff Tweedy in his book How to Write One Song. Everything difficult, frightening, and new is on the other side of permission. Emotions are on the other side of giving yourself permission to feel. After we’ve experienced trauma, disappointment, sorrow, pain, we often shut down our emotions…