In my twenties, I’ve lost 3 loved ones within 5 years. Two of them were like parental figures to me (aunt and uncle) and the other was my high school best friend. I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with the feelings of grief and deep sadness. I’ve gotten to a point now where I feel peace and so much gratitude for having them in my life. I also feel like I need to make the most of my life because I’m hyper-aware of how precious time really is and how blessed I am to have this life.

So I feel this immense pressure to do big things, especially now that I’ve awakened to how I’m able to create any possibility in my life. I know that it’s my thoughts that are creating this pressure, but I don’t know how to handle these emotions of overwhelming gratitude and responsibility to make the most of my life. Sometimes these emotions feel so strong that I decide to buffer them because I don’t want to feel them all the way through.

What advice do you have for dealing with these deep emotions and directing them towards positive action?