Battling A Complex Web of Emotions
Posted on December 02, 2024 by Ray Moses, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Thoughts on: Disappointment, Depression, Failure, Rejection, Isolation, Loneliness, and Inadequacy.
Reflecting on the title: Battling A Complex Web of Emotions, Someone very special to me once said: “You’re not showing strength when you bottle everything up and shut down, hiding your frustrations. That’s not true strength. It’s not just the daily challenges and stress weighing you down; it’s the burden you place on yourself to be enough. Please know, you are more than enough, just as you are.”
Sometimes men just need to hear that they’re enough. Although we all have things to improve on, and stress about, just being present and reliable by trust in your word is enough for your loved ones.
I saw a quote that said, “showing your emotions to people is like bleeding next to a shark.” As a man, I have experienced this while expressing a feeling of overwhelming stress to another man who used it to insult me and make me feel like I was not capable. Guys, do not let people like this deter you from sharing. Although, choose who you share with wisely.
Understanding what it means to be a “real” man can be conflicting these days. Societal expectations change with every video you watch, every person you talk to. Social media is just one big reality TV show scripted by the millions of creators posting content. Everyone has their opinion on a man’s expectations and how they should behave, represent themselves, and how much they should earn to be valuable. It will feel selfish however it is important to shut off that switch that worries about how you’re seen as a man and what you’re doing to provide for someone else and spend some time working through what is solely important to you.
Purpose, Passion, Principles – Explore and Align these to your true self and not what those around you say they should be…
Recently, I had a conversation with a client that covers many of the terms below and the impact of history along with worries of the future. He mentioned the staggering number of suicides in men for the last few years. CDC data for 2022 shows over 39,000 men (highest numbers between the ages of 25 and 64) committed suicide which is a slight increase from the year prior.
Disappointment is the feeling of sadness or displeasure that arises when expectations are not met, often leading to a sense of letdown. Depression is a more serious condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in life, impacting daily functioning. Failure refers to the inability to achieve a desired goal or outcome, often accompanied by feelings of frustration and self-criticism.
Rejection is the experience of being dismissed or not accepted, whether in relationships or other areas of life, which can deeply affect self-esteem. Isolation describes a state of being separated from others, whether physically or emotionally, while loneliness is the emotional pain of feeling alone, even in the presence of others.
Finally, inadequacy is the feeling of not being enough or not measuring up, leading to self-doubt and a sense of unfulfillment.
