Feeling and expressing an emotion

It's amazing how often we can feel we're not allowed or don't have permission to feel or express certain emotions. There is a difference between feeling an emotion and expressing an emotion. No one else but you has to know what you're feeling. When you allow yourself to feel, you can choose whether or not to express that feeling to another person. It is so important for our health that we feel all of our emotions, but the reality is most of us have a “bad” and “good” list. We can reach conclusions that because certain emotions are unacceptable/not allowed/not permissible that there is something wrong with us for having them, feeling them or expressing them.

Rate the truth of the following sentences from 0 to 10, 10 being true and 0 being not true at all. Write down all that comes up, particularly the emotions, memories and people that have a strong emotional charge and start tapping.

I am allowed to feel ... (why?)

I am allowed to express ... (why?)

I am not allowed to feel ... (why?)

I am not allowed to express ... (why?)

I have permission ... to feel (who do you have permission from?)

I have permission ... to express (who do you have permission from?)

I don't have permission to feel ... (who do you not have permission from?)

I don't have permission to express ... (who do you not have permission from?)

I give myself permission to feel ...

I give myself permission to express ...

The emotion that is the easiest for me to feel is ...

The emotion that is the easiest for me to express is ...

The emotion(s) that is most difficult for me to feel is ...

The emotion that is most difficult for me to express is ...

Men are no more immune from emotions than women; we think women are more emotional because the culture lets them give free vent to certain feelings, "feminine" ones, that is, no anger please, but it's okay to turn on the waterworks ~ Una Stannard