Do you tend to keep your feelings to yourself… especially when you’re upset?

Maybe you tell yourself nothing will change, or you don’t want to affect others—so you stay quiet and carry it on your own. But even when you try to move on, something still feels heavy inside.

In this episode, Bonnie shares a personal moment of how she learned to express difficult emotions to release hidden stress she's been carrying.

You’ll discover why holding in your emotions can leave you feeling stuck—and how sharing what you feel, even quietly with God, can help calm your body, bring emotional relief, and remind you that you’re not alone.

If you’ve been feeling “off,” this episode will help you gently release stress you're carrying and experience God’s comfort in a real, personal way.



Key Takeaways
 Why unexpressed emotions can leave you feeling stuck and overwhelmed
 How sharing your emotions helps your body and mind feel calmer
 What science says about putting feelings verbally into words and emotional regulation
 How God meets you with compassion when you open your heart to Him
 A simple practice to release hidden stresses and help you feel better

 Breath Prayer
Inhale: Turn to me and be gracious to me
Exhale: for I am lonely and afflicted

 Scripture
“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.” Psalm 25:16–17

  Research Referenced in This Episode

• Affect labeling reduces emotional distress (Lieberman et al.)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17576282/

• Expressive writing and emotional health (APA overview)
https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/expressive-writing

• The health benefits of spirituality and prayer (Harvard Health)
https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/spirituality-better-health-outcomes-patient-care/

 Take Bonnie's Soul Care Courses:

 Praying the Psalms for Wellness:
A Lifegiving 8-Week Wellness Course to Release Stress, Renew Peace & Find Rest for Your Heart
Register at https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool-prayingpsalms/

 Breathe Joy with Jesus:
Create Happy Wellness Rhythms to Cultivate Joy with God's Promises
Register at https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool/

 Breathe Rest with Jesus:
A Loving Course to Create Wellness Rhythms of Peace with God’s Promises

Register at https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool-breatherest/

   Take the FREE Soul Care Quiz at soulcarequiz.comGet your personal wellness assessment and learn which area of soul care you need most.

 →  Eucalyptus Shower Steamers for instant calm at Bonnie's Soul Care Store

 Join the Soul Care Newsletter:
https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe

 Watch YouTube Devotionals:
https://youtube.com/thebonniegray

 Bestselling Books by Bonnie:
https://amzn.to/3NpVYQd

Do you tend to keep your feelings to yourself&hellip; especially when you&rsquo;re upset? Maybe you tell yourself nothing will change, or you don&rsquo;t want to affect others&mdash;so you stay quiet and carry it on your own. But even when you try to move on, something still feels heavy inside. In this episode, Bonnie shares a personal moment of how she learned to express difficult emotions to release hidden stress she's been carrying. You&rsquo;ll discover why holding in your emotions can leave you feeling stuck&mdash;and how sharing what you feel, even quietly with God, can help calm your body, bring emotional relief, and remind you that you&rsquo;re not alone. If you&rsquo;ve been feeling &ldquo;off,&rdquo; this episode will help you gently release stress you're carrying and experience God&rsquo;s comfort in a real, personal way. 
Key Takeaways &nbsp;Why unexpressed emotions can leave you feeling stuck and overwhelmed &nbsp;How sharing your emotions helps your body and mind feel calmer &nbsp;What science says about putting feelings verbally into words and emotional regulation &nbsp;How God meets you with compassion when you open your heart to Him &nbsp;A simple practice to release hidden stresses and help you feel better &nbsp;Breath Prayer Inhale: Turn to me and be gracious to me Exhale: for I am lonely and afflicted &nbsp;Scripture &ldquo;Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.&rdquo; Psalm 25:16&ndash;17
&nbsp;&nbsp;Research Referenced in This Episode
&bull; Affect labeling reduces emotional distress (Lieberman et al.) <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17576282/">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17576282/</a>
&bull; Expressive writing and emotional health (APA overview) <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/expressive-writing" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/expressive-writing&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1xTMtdatS7Xv9j8SDxByDW">https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/expressive-writing </a> &bull; The health benefits of spirituality and prayer (Harvard Health) <a href="https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/spirituality-better-health-outcomes-patient-care/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/spirituality-better-health-outcomes-patient-care/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0zf_iGe0fWRwyQbYQX2VVV">https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/spirituality-better-health-outcomes-patient-care/</a>
&nbsp;Take Bonnie's Soul Care Courses:
&nbsp;Praying the Psalms for Wellness: A Lifegiving 8-Week Wellness Course to Release Stress, Renew Peace &amp; Find Rest for Your Heart Register at&nbsp;<a href="https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool-prayingpsalms/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool-prayingpsalms/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw07A5hR-_T30nDtVq0UGIl_">https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool-prayingpsalms/</a>
&nbsp;Breathe Joy with Jesus: Create&nbsp;Happy Wellness Rhythms to Cultivate Joy with God's Promises Register at&nbsp;<a href="https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2zDONiT3i6H9ogEO4d9fvh">https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool/</a>
&nbsp;Breathe Rest with Jesus: A Loving Course to Create Wellness Rhythms of Peace with God&rsquo;s Promises
Register at&nbsp;<a href="https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool-breatherest/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool-breatherest/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2R7kjy1r6ITa-kmfWzJ1-v">https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool-breatherest/</a>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Take the FREE Soul Care Quiz&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="http://soulcarequiz.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://soulcarequiz.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2xBXOJBEFKEje2D0058aFJ">soulcarequiz.com</a>Get your personal wellness assessment and learn which area of soul care you need most.
&nbsp;&rarr;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eucalyptus Shower Steamers for instant calm at&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/488VVBI" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://amzn.to/488VVBI&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1i11Thky_qgGkT6cazUzXM">Bonnie's Soul Care Store</a>
&nbsp;Join the Soul Care Newsletter: <a href="https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0ZFuNipE3qLNOrSOmOkjZn">https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe</a> &nbsp;Watch YouTube Devotionals: <a href="https://youtube.com/thebonniegray" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://youtube.com/thebonniegray&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ev7726iKHfQKyMZtz75cw">https://youtube.com/thebonniegray</a> &nbsp;Bestselling Books by Bonnie: <a href="https://amzn.to/3NpVYQd" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://amzn.to/3NpVYQd&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778514324847000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2EkoBWDmqXhZPjIcIk5Aw5">https://amzn.to/3NpVYQd</a>

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast hosted by Christian author Bonnie Gray is dedicated to refreshing your soul with rest and sparking joy, so you can feel God’s love and peace. We'll walk you through scientific, scripture-backed methods of restoring calm, in order to help you stress less, take better care of yourself, and create new rhythms to rest in daily life.

Here are some topics covered in this podcast: 

🌸 Feeling Anxious? Cast Your Cares on God Because He Cares For You
🌸 3 Ways to Break Free from Stress, Worry & Anxiety
🌸 How to Say No to Fear & Yes to God PLUS What's the Difference Between Secular & Biblical Meditation?
🌸 Is It Burnout Or Is God Stretching You? 4 Signs to Know the Difference PLUS 4 Mental Health Benefits of Stories
🌸 3 Surprising Ways to Stop Overthinking, Improve Your Mood During the Day, & Get the Sleep Your Body Needs
🌸 The Antidote to Stress & Fatigue + The Surprising Causes – Plus Raising Stress-Resilient Kids

FOLLOW BONNIE:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebonniegray
Facebook: https://facebook.com/thebonniegray
Her site: http://www.thebonniegray.com

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast hosted by Christian author Bonnie Gray is dedicated to refreshing your soul with rest and sparking joy, so you can feel God’s love and peace. We'll walk you through scientific, scripture-backed methods of restoring calm, in order to help you stress less, take better care of yourself, and create new rhythms to rest in daily life.
Here are some topics covered in this podcast: 
🌸 Feeling Anxious? Cast Your Cares on God Because He Cares For You 🌸 3 Ways to Break Free from Stress, Worry &amp; Anxiety 🌸 How to Say No to Fear &amp; Yes to God PLUS What's the Difference Between Secular &amp; Biblical Meditation? 🌸 Is It Burnout Or Is God Stretching You? 4 Signs to Know the Difference PLUS 4 Mental Health Benefits of Stories 🌸 3 Surprising Ways to Stop Overthinking, Improve Your Mood During the Day, &amp; Get the Sleep Your Body Needs 🌸 The Antidote to Stress &amp; Fatigue + The Surprising Causes – Plus Raising Stress-Resilient Kids
FOLLOW BONNIE: Instagram: <a href="https://instagram.com/thebonniegray">https://instagram.com/thebonniegray</a> Facebook: <a href="https://facebook.com/thebonniegray">https://facebook.com/thebonniegray</a> Her site: <a href="http://www.thebonniegray.com/">http://www.thebonniegray.com</a>

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast is dedicated to refreshing your soul with rest and sparking joy, so you can feel God’s love and peace. We'll walk you through scientific, scripture-backed methods of restoring calm, in order to help you stress less,...

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast hosted by Christian author Bonnie Gray is dedicated to refreshing your soul with rest and sparking joy, so you can feel God’s love and peace. We'll walk you through scientific, scripture-backed methods of restoring calm, in order to help you stress less, take better care of yourself, and create new rhythms to rest in daily life.

Here are some topics covered in this podcast: 
Ways to Eliminate Anxiety & Cast Your Cares on God 
Tips to Break Free from Stress, Worry & Anxiety
Recommendations on How to Say No to Fear & Yes to God
Ways to Raise Stress-Resilient Kids
Mental Health Benefits of Stories of Stories & Activities 
Surprising Ways to Stop Overthinking
Tips to Improve Your Mood During the Day & Get the Sleep Your Body Needs
The Difference Between Secular & Biblical Meditation
The Difference Between Burnout & God Stretching You
The Antidote to Stress & Fatigue + The Surprising Causes 

FOLLOW BONNIE:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebonniegray
Facebook: https://facebook.com/thebonniegray
Her site: http://www.thebonniegray.com 

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast hosted by Christian author Bonnie Gray is dedicated to refreshing your soul with rest and sparking joy, so you can feel God’s love and peace. We'll walk you through scientific, scripture-backed methods of restoring calm, in order to help you stress less, take better care of yourself, and create new rhythms to rest in daily life.
Here are some topics covered in this podcast: 
<ul>
<li>Ways to Eliminate Anxiety &amp; Cast Your Cares on God </li>
<li>Tips to Break Free from Stress, Worry &amp; Anxiety</li>
<li>Recommendations on How to Say No to Fear &amp; Yes to God</li>
<li>Ways to Raise Stress-Resilient Kids</li>
<li>Mental Health Benefits of Stories of Stories &amp; Activities </li>
<li>Surprising Ways to Stop Overthinking</li>
<li>Tips to Improve Your Mood During the Day &amp; Get the Sleep Your Body Needs</li>
<li>The Difference Between Secular &amp; Biblical Meditation</li>
<li>The Difference Between Burnout &amp; God Stretching You</li>
<li>The Antidote to Stress &amp; Fatigue + The Surprising Causes </li>
</ul>
FOLLOW BONNIE: Instagram: <a href="https://instagram.com/thebonniegray">https://instagram.com/thebonniegray</a> Facebook: <a href="https://facebook.com/thebonniegray">https://facebook.com/thebonniegray</a> Her site: <a href="http://www.thebonniegray.com/">http://www.thebonniegray.com </a>

Feeling Off? Why You Don’t Need to Hold Everything In (And What To Do Instead) #211

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/15d23134-af0c-4e83-987a-b4470008e362/transcript