What happens when you hear Greta Thunberg demand "How dare you?"

She says "...you come to young people for hope. How dare you?" What rises in me is panic. And swelling grief. Because I know she is speaking truth.

No matter where you are stuck or overwhelmed, how does remembering to practice self-awareness during times of strong emotions support your optimal health?

Greta's impassioned plea to the UN General Assembly is one I need to hear not only because she speaks my truth, but precisely because it makes me so incredibly uncomfortable. As inconvenient truths often do.

She is delivering a difficult message to a world in denial, and her words resonate with me as truth. It is a painful message and it is truth. I don't want to hear it and it is truth. It changes everything and it is truth.

The world is on a massive healing journey.

As with all difficult, painful truths on any healing journey, I have choice.

I can turn away by denying and deflecting.

I can minimize, excuse, justify.

Or, once I catch my breath and ground myself, I can use the panic and grief rising in me to fuel the courage to move into the next phase of healing. I can join Greta where she is right now.

I can feel remorse for the harm I have caused, even if I didn't intentionally do it.

I can take responsibility for the impact of the harm I have caused. I can own it. I can make an action plan to do better.

And then I can get angry. Because anger, on a healing journey, is a good thing. It is a very good thing.

“We need to get angry and understand what is at stake. And then we need to transform that anger into action and to stand together united and just never give up,” says Greta.

I can get stuck in my uncomfortable emotions and turn away, or I can use my emotions as information to increase self awareness, turn towards, and make choice. That is up to me.

Reach out to me if you are on a difficult healing journey and are stuck in the first phase. Leaping into the second phase can be very hard work. And it is life giving. Turning towards optimal health is a choice, one you can make for yourself.