Emotions Are a Compass

Imagine you’re a smuggler on the high seas (because why the hell not?)! As the captain of your own ship your livelihood depends on your courage, cunning, probably a little cheekiness, and the tools to safely navigate your ship through all kinds of weather. Your ability to get from port to port relies on knowing how to read the stars, understanding the night sky, and effectively using a compass. 

The compass is especially important (at least in this imaginary scenario in which you are an epic pirate on the high seas–your career is clearly escalating!). You would be thoroughly versed on the in and outs of your compass–how it works, where it points, what it means, etc. Without your compass you would be lost and, even worse, if you had a compass but didn’t know how it worked, you would be hopelessly stuck. It’s safe to say that knowing how to read and understand the compass–then make decisions about the information you have is tantamount to success.

Let’s transpose this charming little vignette onto reality. You’re the captain of your own existence. Maybe your crew is made up of the little people in your life, who run amok and drive you to distraction, but whom you couldn’t do without. Maybe it’s a group of intrepid friends who seek daring and adventure. Maybe it’s a shambling gang of elderly women who terrorise the local retirement center (we don’t judge). Whomever your crew, they rely on you to captain them to their destination (e.g. snack time, nap time, world travels, or badgering poor Bob for the keys to the pickle ball court).

Now imagine your emotions are the compass you use to navigate the unruly seas of life. Yes–your emotions! (You read that right. Stay with me my fine pirate friend!). What if your emotions were trying to help you? What if they wanted to enable you to safely get from port to port? What if all your emotions ever wanted to do was protect you from harm and see you safe and sound on your journey through life?

I propose this is the case. Our emotions are a compass that want to guide us safely through life, helping us make healthy decisions about our destinations, our goals, our dreams, our boundaries, etc. For this to work we need to actually understand our emotions. We can’t use the compass if we don’t know how it works! 

Now, to be clear, I’m not proposing that the compass make the decisions for you. Emotions themselves are not deciding where to point the ship, you’re the captain! You’ll say where you go! But the compass (the emotions) play a vital role in letting you know how and where to steer. Anxiety might warn you of a reef up ahead, so you can navigate carefully through it. Calm might prepare you for the challenges of getting your little crew down for nap time. Anger might help you prepare to overthrow the powers that be and wrestle the pickle ball court keys from Bob (because he’s rather stingy with them) without harming him (although locking him in the closet while you play a game or two might send the right message). And excitement might help you acknowledge the hard work you did in planning and executing an amazing trip with friends!

Emotions are here to help! They’re here to speak to us, to tell us something about life that would help us navigate it a little better, a little easier, a little more informed. Whatever direction you choose, you know where you are and where you’re going, because the emotional compass makes sure you know which way is north. 

Understanding and connecting with our emotions is a life long journey (just like being a successful pirate captain takes time, patience, and a little daring). It’s a journey worth being on! And this is your invitation to understand your emotions and use them as the helpful tool they long to be.

~Rebekah

A Pirate’s Guide to Navigating Emotions:

The best starting point is a simple starting point.