Harboring Emotions

For my roles in HR and Coaching in particular but also as a parent, I know that conversations about growth can lead down very emotional paths. Luckily, one of the best ways to create lasting change is to tap into those emotions. Evoking emotion allows you to connect with meaning and purpose on a deeper level and helps remind you why you are putting in the work. But emotions are heavy and for some, emotions are scary to confront. People who thrive in-service of others (even parents) often try to put themselves in their clients’ (or kids’) shoes but that can mean connecting personally with their emotions. This transaction allows the client to relieve themselves of the burden of the emotions, but what does the service professional do with those emotions now?

We have to remember that their emotions are not ours to bare. It is good to be mindful that others’ emotions can creep into your own world and you must find a way to brush off those emotions post-conversation. Because I work from home and everything is so intertwined, something that works for me is shutting down my laptop, turning off notifications, and shutting my office door. I walk out of my front door (as though I’m leaving work) and take a huge deep breath and walk back in, putting work behind me. It creates a feeling that life and work are separate.

What is your method of brushing off others’ emotions?