Turning Overwhelming Emotions Into My Greatest Gift

Have you ever felt like you FEEL everything on a level that no one else could understand? Have those feelings ever become overwhelming, and you didn’t have a place to channel them? Or a safe soul to listen and understand them?

For me, I always knew that I felt emotions intensely. It was always a part of who I am, but growing up, I often felt embarrassed for being someone who felt differently from those around me. It turned into this weight on my chest that usually came out in an ugly cry and uncontrollable anger. I would experience a colorful mix of sadness, grief, anger, joy, and euphoria mixed with confusion about what was arising for me and nowhere to have it land.

Art Became My Outlet

It wasn’t until I let down my guard, expressed myself through color, and picked up a paintbrush that something amazing came flowing out. I realized these emotions didn’t have to be a burden to me any longer. These emotions that I felt inside could be what made me more unique, more beautiful, even ten times stronger, and more resilient than the past me. I could use my art as a place to share emotion with the world. I didn’t have to explain what was brewing inside my body entirely, but I could let it out on the canvas, and the viewer would make their interpretation. I then had a place of pure safety within that canvas.

I remember working on a piece where I poured all my anger and sadness into bold strokes and fiery colors. When it was done, I felt not just lighter but proud. I was proud of what I could accomplish when I slapped some music on and let the rest of the world disappear while I disappeared within the dripping color in front of me. The canvas had taken what I thought was too much and transformed it into something powerful. My hands took the emotions I was overwhelmed with and squeezed them to the point of busting into a colorful feeling that now had a home.

I’ve learned through this intense process that feeling deeply is not a curse in any way. It does not make me ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’ or ‘unlovable.’ Feeling deeply is not something that I need to hide from and hate about myself. Feeling deeply is a gift. It has allowed me to connect with other empaths who also need to tell their stories through art and expression of any form. It has given me a place to create paintings that bring emotion and experience into people’s homes. It has given me the most valuable way to connect with myself and, more importantly, connect with others so that we all feel seen in this experience of deep emotion. Our soul journey is long and sometimes treacherous, but we all deserve that safe place to feel heard and comfortable returning.

If you’ve ever felt like your emotions were too much, know you’re not alone. I’d love to hear how you channel your feelings—through art, writing, or something else that brings you peace.