[4] I acknowledged emotional conflict
The heart of the suggested steps to Peace & Acceptance is contained in these steps describing the experience of grieving widows and widowers.
Meetings focus on working through the steps, often in a repeating pattern as more learning is revealed to us on our journey. There is often no linear progression.
Acknowledgement of emotional conflict is incredibly important if we are to move towards peace and acceptance, and ultimately to accept that conflict.
This step is about acknowledgement and recognition of the fact that we have emotional conflict.
Perhaps this is you?… on the one hand, you have extreme joy from the years you spent with your partner and on the other hand you have this unbearable sadness that it’s over.
Those are two emotions indeed, so congratulate yourself on being mindful and noticing, well done.
What other conflicting emotions do you have? Joy and sadness, freedom and regret, love and pain, what resonates with you?
You may have a range of different conflicting emotions, just listing and naming them can be a useful step.
There’s no need to do anything with this list yet, just create it, look at it and ask yourself if you have any more conflicting emotions.
Thinking prompts for this step
If you wish you may find it helpful to use these as prompts to guide your thinking when it’s your turn to share during any group meeting.
- Are you able to see that we all have these conflicting emotions, and it’s sometimes the CONFLICT which confuses and leaves us feeling hurt, rather than the actual emotions themselves?
- What conflicting emotions do you notice?
- What triggers those emotions?