Buddhism teaches that developing a mindful and compassionate relationship with your emotions means seeing them as temporary states rather than defining parts of who you are. By accepting and acknowledging feelings like anxiety and depression without judgment or attachment, you allow them to come and go naturally.
Sociologist and Buddhist therapist Kamilah Majied writes in Joyfully Just: Black Wisdom and Buddhist Insights for Liberated Living (2024):
It is important to develop friendly relationships with our painful emotions so that we don’t become anxious about feeling anxious or depressed about feeling depressed. If we can welcome feelings as natural states that pass eventually, we can know great peace.
It can also be useful to not identify with a painful feeling, because at the same time you are experiencing it, you are also experiencing other feelings. So instead of saying “I am depressed,” you might say, “I notice some depression moving through me.”
What other feelings are moving through you? Are there any pleasant feelings in there? These kinds of reflective practices can help you balance your awareness and be more connected to the possibilities for peace and joy in each moment.
Idea for Impact: Remember, you’re more than just your feelings—they don’t define who you are. Bearing this in mind, you won’t get overwhelmed by them or let them control your sense of self. This perspective helps you better understand the constant shifts in your experiences.
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