Schedule Your Sadness...

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of scheduling happiness.

Today, some may actually consider this topic a more foreign concept… That’s scheduling sadness.

I do this in two different ways. If something happens at the spur of the moment that sort of throws me for a loop, I allow myself to go through the motions and emotions… For a limited time. On purpose.

There’s an old saying that it’s ok to wallow a bit and be sad or angry, but just don’t plop and unpack your suitcases down to live there the rest of your life.

Withy that said, I allow myself to be disappointed, sad, angry… Whatever it is. But I set a guideline to it. I can feel as sorry for myself as I’d like, but for two or three hours. Doing so helps to process those emotions. I don’t want to unpack and live in them, but they do need to be expressed. Tamping them down does even more harm in the long term.

The other way I schedule my sadness is to literally schedule a time to help process more complex emotions or events.

If something happens that needs or warrants reflection, I schedule a down time to properly reflect on it. Not all events or emotions can be expressed fully or properly in the moment, but can be addressed properly at a designated time. I use this hour or two (or as long as what’s needed) to reflect, journal, express, digest, and process what needs to be processed.

Try it, you’ll be a better person for it!