Am I Overly Emotional?

Ferry Ride—while my spirit sailed away

Oslo, Norway

We are at the point that we are right now in our world because most people find it hard to identify what they are feeling.

I asked Google “What are some good character traits that are rare in this time which we are living in 2025?”

AI overview said this:

In 2025, some character traits considered increasingly rare might include: deep, focused attention, genuine face-to-face connection, unfiltered empathy, critical thinking without bias, strong digital literacy balanced with real-world awareness, long-term commitment to causes, patience in a fast-paced world, ability to truly listen without interrupting, and a healthy skepticism towards information overload; essentially, traits that prioritize meaningful human interaction and thoughtful analysis over instant gratification and constant digital stimulation.

We are missing what encompasses being a decent human in this day and age where we can learn intentionally to be good to one another and with good reason.

There is a collective numbness because we have been overwhelmed. Society has been conditioned to be desensitized to what is happening around us, and it is too much for us to process along with our own personal issues.

Recently, I asked myself, "What am I trying to say here? "What point am I trying to make? Do I have to make a point at all? Is what I’m saying of substance? "

The answer to all of those is yes.

Why? It is because my opinions, thoughts, and beliefs matter. They influence how I feel.

They may not matter to the vast majority but they matter to me, those closest to me and they may matter to the next person who comes to read this.

I am caught in a cycle of false self-deprecation nowadays. Letting my emotions get the best of me and being heavily influenced by the media I consume leads me to question my judgment.

I have caught myself in a trap by looking to others rather than towards my self-assurance which is rooted in logic. Again, I snap out of it, realizing that working on my emotional intelligence is the key.

Goleman [2] defines EI as “the ability to recognize our feelings and those of others, to motivate ourselves, and to handle our emotions well to have the best for ourselves and our relationships.” It is also relevant to mention the very concise definition by Martinez [27] as “an array of non-cognitive skills, capabilities, and competencies that influence a person's ability to cope with environmental demands and pressures.”

This is the root that we need to grow deeper.

And you know what can still be beautiful and horrendous in its own way? Emotions.

I used to think I was cursed until I read something recently that brought to my attention that emotions change so effortlessly and constantly that it can be hard to keep up.

One day, I concluded that I would no longer let my emotions be bottled up inside me. I would not blame the blessing I have of being able to be emotionally in tune with myself.

Observing myself and others through situations, I saw how allowing ourselves to feel our emotions, as they are happening, is a skill.

Growing up we are constantly told, “Oh, don’t cry.” or “Oh, don’t be like that, you don’t have to feel that way.” or “ You are exaggerating.” when you are not.

You are living the human condition.

You are allowed to feel how you feel. NO ONE has the right to tell you how to feel nor do you need to justify it most of the time.

Granted, if you know time is needed to be understood by yourself, you will also need time to develop your ability to explain why you feel the way you do to others. This is the imbalance that exists and is difficult to understand.

You are closest to yourself and you know why you feel the way you do, by default others will not understand even when you expect them to.

Although life can feel unfair and things don’t work out how you thought they would. Whether someone hurt or disappointed you or you did that to yourself. Just like there are many reasons for your feelings, there may or may not be the reason you are experiencing that emotion(s).

It is deep.

It is so deep that society pushes us to think it needs to be handled quietly and by ourselves.

This is not true, no one will know how or why you feel you do unless you share it.

Emotions and feelings are meant to be shared because that is how we connect.

Human beings were created to interact with one another, if you are forever hiding yourself and not being honest, vulnerability will always be the highest wall you will need to try and try again to climb over.

Interpreting emotions is hard if you make it, and if you do not break through the walls of who you are, you will only delay getting to who you want to be.

Like me, you may be more emotional than others around you, this may mean that you have to climb higher on the wall of vulnerability.

The threshold is meant to be met because you are growing past your current self and through this, you are learning to love the very thing you thought was a weakness.

Remember this, people DO want to be a witness to rawness and authenticity.

What is a weakness to one may be a major strength for another. When you share that ‘weakness’ publicly similarly it might be someone else’s biggest fear, you become the unspoken permission they need to overcome and see they too can get to the other side of that wall.

Start by doing it for you, feel and share those emotions. You are heroic by doing so.