May 31, 2018

How are you feeling?

It's a question we've been thinking about a lot here at Shine this past month. May is Mental Health Month, and we launched an initiative called All The Feels in honor. Our goal: To help Shine members embrace their full range of emotions in the name of better mental health.

As part of our iniative, we themed each day's Shine Text around a specific feeling—from confidence to embarrassment to feeling powerful. We wanted to hit on the feelings we love to savor and the not-so-cute ones we all need a little help accepting.

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And we learned a lot.

The three feelings that had the Shine community most interested? Feeling purposeful, feeling overwhelmed, and feeling enough.

The three feelings that had the Shine community most interested? Feeling purposeful, feeling overwhelmed, and feeling enough.

We also learned that our community already has an emotional toolkit—a go-to activity or ritual that helps them accept a tough feeling. As we shared tips and mindset shifts to help our community cope with their feels, Shine members joined in a powerful way.

Here, we rounded up advice straight from the Shine community on how to embrace all the feels—the good and the not-so-delightful:

We're All Learning How to Embrace Our Feels


And Sometimes, We Can Celebrate the Tough Feels

Towards the end of May, we checked in to see which feelings the Shine community was not just accepting, but celebrating.

Here, just a handful of reasons why our members are here for the feels:

Yes, Mental Health Month ends today—but caring for our mental wellbeing is truly a 24/7 thing. It's just as important as caring for our physical health, and good mental health means embracing our full range of emotions—not just the convenient ones like happiness and joy.

As you slide into June, July, and beyond, remember to accept, respect, and get curious about your feelings. Don't be afraid to catch feels—and know you have the power to get through.

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Missed some of our All the Feels coverage? No sweat—catch up and learn how to embrace and cope with your range of feels.

If you’re struggling with your emotions, know there are professionals who can help. You can find support through the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or text Crisis Text Line directly at 741741—it’s available 24/7, it’s confidential, and it’s free.

Read next: Here's How 8 People Celebrate and Embrace Their Emotions—From Joy to Worry