That’s where the freedom is: in feeling, not in being.

I am sad.

I feel sad.

I am overwhelmed.

I feel overwhelmed.

I am angry.

I feel angry.

I am joyful.

I feel joy.

Notice the difference?

It’s not just semantics. It’s a profound shift—a choice to feel our emotions rather than become them. When we say “I am sad,” we risk being consumed by that sadness, reacting in ways that don’t align with who we truly are. And then, the shame spiral begins: judgment, berating ourselves for how we reacted, and getting stuck in the cycle all over again.

When we say, “I feel sad,” we name the emotion without letting it define us. We create space to process, to choose our response, and to honor the emotion for what it is—temporary, human, and part of the full experience of life.

The words that follow I am carry immense power. They shape how we see ourselves and how we show up in the world. So let’s reclaim that power. Feel your emotions fully. Name them. Cope with them. Let them flow through you. Because then they can’t own you.

That’s where the freedom is: in feeling, not in being.