allowing it all: the good, the bad, and the growth
When we think of allowing, we often focus on welcoming all the good things we desire into our lives—abundance, love, relationships, a new car, the dream job, and the list goes on. But today, I want to talk about allowing it all. Allowing both the good and the "bad." To allow things to simply be, without forcing or changing them, and to just accept them, even for a moment. This means allowing all emotions to rise to the surface of our consciousness, taking us on a roller coaster ride. It means expressing in sound or movement whatever feels off inside, and accepting these feelings for what they are—energy moving through our body—rather than trying to push them down or hide them away.
When we accept our state of being instead of trying to change it, we accept ourselves—every part of ourselves, even those parts we wish didn’t exist. The parts that have been labeled as too sensitive, too emotional, or simply shamed for existing. When we allow them in, we discover something about ourselves. We realize that how we feel is neither right nor wrong. It’s just a feeling, and feelings change.
Recently, I woke up grumpy. That’s what I called it, as it reminded me of the book Grumpy Monkey because even the kindest gestures from others were irritating me. It was one of those days where nothing seemed to go right, and I felt like Alexander from Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. My old self would have acknowledged the emotions and then quickly tried to shift into a happier state. But this time, I told myself it’s okay. All emotions are valid and real. They are not wrong—they just are. I allowed this feeling its time and space to exist, knowing that it would naturally transform. I didn’t need to rush the process; I just needed to honor it. When I did this, without judging myself, I realized I just needed some space.
Space to be grumpy, space to process, and space for things to be released. Space to care for myself without worrying about anyone else. I needed to be in a place where no one was trying to cheer me up or getting bothered by my lower-than-usual vibrational state. I didn’t want to bring anyone down; I just needed to feel this, instead of forcing myself to change. I wanted to allow. This meant honoring myself in a way I rarely do. So that day, I said no to everything and everyone I could. And what I realized is that when I said no to things that weren’t supporting me that day, I was simultaneously saying yes to myself! I only took care of the things I absolutely had to and reminded myself that everything else could wait until tomorrow.
To my surprise, I found solace in working. And when given the space without pressure to change, the feelings transformed, and insights began to change within me at a cellular level. This was when I realized there is power in allowing. Allowing myself to feel without spiraling into the depths of despair, because instead of trying to push or force something, I had clarity and awareness. I knew that what I was experiencing was only “bad” if I labeled it as such. So I told myself, this is what is meant to be. It is just trying to point to something that is not serving me or is out of alignment with my values or what my heart desires.
For this reason, I hope that the next time you feel off, you try just allowing and see what unfolds. You never know what hidden gems you might find in the places you least want to go.
