Tired of Pushing Through? What Your Emotions Are Trying to Tell You

If you’re anything like me or the women I work with, you’ve been told all your life that emotions are messy, inconvenient, or something to push through. You might be a master at getting things done— checking every box, showing up for everyone else, and doing what’s “right”—but deep down, there’s a cost. You feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and sometimes resentful. I’ve been spending time reflecting on this and learning from two powerful sources: Dr. Marc Brackett’s work Permission to Feel and my training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). What I’ve learned has changed how I relate to my emotions and helped me see them as allies, not enemies. I want to share these insights with you in the hope that they’ll offer a little relief and a new way to navigate the feelings that come with always “doing it all.”

emotions are our allies

Let’s talk about those feelings we tend to ignore or push down. The ones we don’t want to admit we have. If you’ve ever felt guilty for being angry or wondered why you’re sad when everything’s going “right,” you’re not alone. Emotions have a way of creeping in, even when we try to keep them in check. And here’s the thing—those emotions aren’t just there to make things hard. In ACT, we see them as guides. They’re like little messengers, trying to tell us something important.

Have you ever asked yourself, “What is this emotion really trying to say to me?” What if instead of pushing it away, you allowed space for it? Ask yourself, “If this emotion could give me advice, what would it say?” Maybe your anger is trying to tell you that you’ve been overextending yourself, or your sadness is showing you something that needs attention. These feelings might be hard to face, but they can also point you toward what really matters—your needs, your values, and the life you actually want to be living.

Permission to Feel

If you’ve ever felt like emotions are something to manage or keep in check, Dr. Marc Brackett’s work might resonate with you too. In Permission to Feel, Dr. Brackett talks about how we’ve been taught to see emotions as inconvenient or something to fix. Sound familiar? You’re working hard, doing it all, but the emotional toll feels heavy.

Dr. Brackett’s offers a refreshing approach. He believes that emotions aren’t the enemy—they’re actually one of our greatest tools. His RULER method (Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, and Regulate emotions) provides a framework to use your emotions to help, not hurt, you. Imagine being able to recognize when you’re feeling overwhelmed and then using that knowledge to make a small shift instead of pushing yourself harder. It’s about having permission to feel—without judgment or guilt.

the wisdom of our emotions

Let’s be real: it’s exhausting trying to be everything to everyone all the time. And somewhere along the way, we’ve been taught that if we feel tired, frustrated, or sad, it means we’re not doing enough or we’re weak. But emotions don’t work that way. They’re not a sign of failure—they’re a sign that something deeper is going on.

In ACT, we believe that emotions are like a flashlight. They shine a light on the parts of our life that need attention. Whether it’s anger, sadness, or anxiety, these feelings aren’t trying to derail us—they’re trying to guide us. If you take a moment to ask, “What is this emotion telling me?” you might be surprised at what you discover. Maybe it’s time to set some boundaries, ask for help, or let go of perfection.

Both Marc Brackett and ACT remind us that emotions aren’t just something to endure—they’re something to learn from. The beauty of both approaches is that they encourage us to stop fighting our feelings and start wondering what they’re here to tell us. What’s underneath that frustration? What’s the sadness pointing to? Instead of pushing through it all, we’re allowed to pause, to feel, and to make changes that actually align with what we need.

The truth is, it’s okay to feel burnt out. It’s okay to feel resentful or exhausted. But when we give ourselves the space to feel—and listen—we can start to change the patterns that keep us stuck in overdrive.

can you relate…?

If this sounds like you—if you’re tired of pushing through the feelings and ready to start tuning in to what they’re really telling you—I’m right there with you. Learning to listen to my emotions and seeing them as allies instead of obstacles has changed the way I navigate my own life, and I hope it can do the same for you.

I’d love to hear from you: What emotions are you feeling today, and what advice might they be offering you? Let’s start a conversation below—I’m here to listen.