3 things to do when you want to eat your feelings.
People always say that you shouldn't eat your feelings.
I agree with that in principle, but have you ever tried a feeling?
Feelings are delicious. That's what no one is ever honest about. Feelings are so good.
And they go with everything.
Nervous about losing your job? Add a side of dipping feelings.
Global pandemic that's turned everything upside down? Season it with feelings.
Anxious that your kids are going to forget how to read and end up riding the rails like a hobo with a stick and red bandana tied into a bundle because they dropped out of school in the fourth grade? Sprinkle some feelings on top.
There's really no situation that can't be enhanced with a little bit of feelings.
Feelings are delicious, but on the other side of this crisis, we'll all be glad that we ate less feelings.
So, what do you do with all those extra feelings you have right now?
Well, start by being honest that you do have extra feelings. Everyone does. You're supposed to. This is the biggest health and economic crisis most of us have been in for at least the last decade. If you don't have more feelings today than you did in say January, I'd be worried for you.
I've been taking my extra feelings out on Pringles. A single human shouldn't be able to eat as many Pringles as I have in the last two weeks. The economy might be down, but my Pringles consumption is way up. Hopefully that's encouraging to that guy on the logo. I think his name is, "Mike Pringles." You think maintaining that thick mustache he has is cheap? It's not. I'm doing my part to keep him in mustache wax.
But, I've started to do three things with my feelings that are actually a lot helpful and I think you should do them too:
- Write your feelings.
- Talk your feelings
- Walk your feelings
I wanted so badly for "write your feelings" to rhyme with talk and walk but the only way to do that was to say, "Chalk your feelings" and you guys would see right through that. No one is grabbing a piece of chalk just because I was desperate to rhyme.
I'm writing in my journal right now more than I was before the pandemic. Big thoughts, small thoughts, silly fears, real fears, and everything in between. I'm capturing it all. There's zero calories in writing. The notebook I use is the Leuchtturm 1917 dot grid. I'm a bit of a notebook snob and this is the best one I've ever found.
I'm also talking about my feelings. With my wife, my family, my parents, my friends. Just because you have to self-distance doesn't mean you have to self-isolate. I had a great hour-long call recently with another keynote speaker to brainstorm ideas for the future.
And, I'm walking my feelings. I'm trying to get a little bit of exercise. Even a quick lap around the yard is helpful. I need endorphins and I need vitamin D.
It's not easy. Stress eating is a real thing.
We even have a whole category of food called, "comfort foods." Broccoli is cold, hard and unforgiving. It doesn't love you like chowder served in a bread bowl. Bread bowls understand you. Bread bowls won't judge you. Bread bowls get you.
Only eventually they don't and then your pants won't and now I got to rhyme.
Don't eat your feelings.
Write your feelings.
Talk your feelings.
Walk your feelings.
Jon
P.S. Have you subscribed to my new YouTube channel yet? You will love it!
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