“You’re lucky to live sad moments.”
That’s what Louis C.K. said in a 2013 appearance on Conan O’Brien. Definitely one of the more profound statements in the interview. : )
When sadness is about to hit you, it’s so tough to allow yourself to deeply, truly feel it. It’s so easy to push it away. Another, often subconscious part of you says, “not now, it’s not convenient! I really don’t want to feel this right now….No, I’m not really sad anyway….It’s not okay to cry, it’s not such a big of deal!
A few things:
– It’s okay to be sad and to cry. If you don’t think so, perhaps it’s time to re-examine your inner terrain.
– Perhaps it’s objectively true that the current situation is “not a big deal,” compared to how much worse it could be. That does not make your feeling less valid.
– You are not sad, but a part of you is sad. Your core, authentic self, or the sage self, the one that observes without judgment, can choose to view this part as a fragmented entity of the psyche. You can console it through acceptance, empathy, and compassion.
And you will connect with yourself in a profoundly liberating and uplifting manner. You might even experience a rush of “happy antibodies,” as Louis C.K. describes. : )
You’ll most definitely feel alive.
To self-acceptance,
Joel
