On feeling unseen, unheard & misunderstood

gentle mornings is a free weekly newsletter with thoughts, feels, reflections & writings for a slow, simple + cozy life. If you love reading and learning in this space, I would love it if you consider being a paid subscriber to support this work. The next one will be published next Sunday.

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I have felt unseen, unheard and misunderstood most of my life. 

The feeling when you realize someone wasn't really listening to you when you had something important to share. 

When kindness and sweetness eventually transition to anger. 

When anger is seen and heard over repeated attempts of kindness and sweetness. 

That feeling of when your intentions are good and positive but another person receives what you say or do in a negative way and then it becomes a much bigger thing than it was ever supposed to be.

A perceived moment of unalignment of mind where you thought you were connected but it reflects a disconnect that makes you feel so alone and small in this big world.

This came up for me again this week.

When was the last time you have felt unseen, unheard or misunderstood? What feelings arise?

I looked up the definitions:

unseen = not noticed.

unheard = not listened to.

misunderstanding = failure to understand something correctly.

I'm sitting here this morning inside a local cafe in Santa Fe gazing up at a series of pieces of artwork detailing the inside pattern of flowering roses. 

They reminded me of the photos I took, like the one pictured above of the columbines, while living off grid in Pennsylvania this Spring before I left for New Mexico. I was so inspired by the design, the color and the fragrance of the flowers. 

There had been so many years that I didn't even notice the flowers. 

I had to slow down in order to really see them and experience the fullness of their experience. 

This week I had a realization that maybe the feelings of being unseen, unheard or misunderstood is an opportunity to actually connect more deeply.

Not noticing. Not listening. Not perceiving something in the same way. 

A lack of sensory experience.

A lack of mindfulness. 

A lack of patience.

A lack of slowing down.

How often do you not notice, listen or understand the world around you?

What could you currently show up to experience more fully in your life?

Maybe we're feeling the same way. Can we meet on that feeling? Can we meet on the mirrored reactions?

Can we slow down?

Can we practice doing better?

What are some ways that you can move through feelings of being unseen, unheard, and misunderstood without being too attached to the sting, despair or isolation of the feeling?

In case you need to hear it right now:

I see you.

I hear you.

I understand you.

Keep being the real and raw you in this world.

xx

The Just Earthly Podcast for self- and world- healing through nature on Spotify will be coming back with new episodes released on Tuesdays very very soon. Please follow the podcast! Catch up while you can because I have many more interviews waiting to be released with so many amazing humans doing amazing things and I don't want you to miss out about their journey and how they heal through nature. 

I love you all!🙏🏻❤️🌎

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