How to stay open when life feels difficult
On emotional resilience and the courage to remain present.
There have been moments in my life when everything in me wanted to close – to shut down, withdraw, disconnect, and go numb.
When emotions felt too big.
When life felt too scary and heavy.
When staying open seemed like the most unsafe thing I could do.
For a long time, I thought emotional resilience meant being able to hold it together. Keeping a positive outlook. Being ‘strong’.
I’ve now come to understand resilience in a very different way.
True resilience and strength aren’t about holding everything in.
It’s about allowing more of you to be here – even when it’s hard.
It’s about staying in relationship with your inner world no matter what – especially in the moments you want to run from it.
Emotional resilience begins with gentleness
What I’ve witnessed in my healing – and with my clients – is that when we make space for our emotions to exist and be without fixing, minimizing, or bypassing them…
Something begins to soften.
The grip loosens. We stop resisting, we start accepting.
We stop fighting ourselves.
This takes courage… and practice. And a lot of compassion.
Especially in a world that rewards emotional suppression.
When life gets a lot, try this
These are practices to return to when things feel emotionally tender or uncertain. Each one is simple yet powerful in helping you stay connected to yourself without feeling overwhelmed.
The 90-second wave
Emotions move through the body in waves. When a big feeling arises, try pausing and naming it (even silently):
‘The sadness’
‘The fear’
‘The anger’
Then breathe and stay with it – for just 90 seconds. Let the wave move. Allow your body to move with it.
You don’t need to understand it. Feeling is enough.
Anchor in body sensations
When your emotions feel too much, anchor into the body.
Notice your feet on the floor.
Feel the texture of your clothing on your skin.
Touch your body. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe.
This helps the nervous system remember: I am safe. I am here.
Ask a loving question
Gently ask yourself:
What part of me needs support right now?
What would support look like in this moment?
What this part of me most needs right now?
Let the answer come gently. Trust your inner voice – it knows.
Staying open is an act of strength
You don’t have to move through difficult times alone.
You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You only need to be willing to listen – gently – to what your body, heart, and emotions are asking for. To the deeper message behind it all.
Emotional resilience is not about being unmoved. Quite the opposite, it’s about staying open and rooted within yourself, even when life shakes around you.
And from that place, something new becomes possible:
Clarity. Trust. Healing. A return to your own inner self.
Pray: connect with something bigger
I’m a strong believer in the power of prayer. Not prayer in the religious sense, but prayer as an act of connection with something bigger than yourself in any way that feels natural, supportive and unique to you.
What does your ‘something bigger’ look like for you?
For me, it’s the Angels and my family in the light – I call them my Spirit family.
But it could be simply your breath, life force energy, your soul, the universe, or your religious belief if you connect with one, whatever it is for you that feels expansive and beyond the limitations of your mind.
Connect. Ask for support. Trust. Listen. In your way. Make it real for you.
A gentle invitation
If this resonates, and you’re navigating something tender or challenging right now – I offer free clarity calls to help you reconnect with your inner steadiness and explore how 1:1 alignment coaching might support you.
It’s a safe, no-pressure space to land, exhale, and be met exactly where you are.
→ Book a free clarity call here
I also send out a weekly letter called Heart-Rooted Notes – soft, practical messages for your inner alignment. You can sign up here.
With love and presence,
Elisa