In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the intense emotion of revulsion - that sense of loathing or repulsion toward someone or something. The conversation distinguishes revulsion from simply finding something revolting, examines how this emotion often connects to moral beliefs, and explores how life experience affects both the frequency and processing of this powerful feeling. The hosts share personal triggers for revulsion and discuss when mindfulness techniques are helpful versus when walking away is the better choice.
Episode Highlights:
- Heather distinguishes revulsion from merely finding something "revolting," describing revulsion as including layers of loathing, disgust, and abhorrence - using the example of feeling revulsion toward attacks on hospitals during wartime versus simply finding roadkill revolting
- Michelle shares how she experiences revulsion when encountering certain personality types, particularly narcissists, based on past negative experiences, questioning whether her knee-jerk avoidance reaction still serves her or blocks potentially meaningful connections
- The hosts observe that revulsion often appears in response to large-scale issues that make them feel disempowered, with Heather noting she lets the emotion go quickly because "there's nothing I can do about it"
- Tina reveals her experience of revulsion remains "childlike" and tied to physical disgust (like gross porta-potties) rather than evolving to encompass larger moral or societal issues, describing this as where the emotion is "stuck" for her
- The conversation emphasizes that mindfulness techniques for processing revulsion work better for interpersonal situations (like difficult coworkers) than for moral offenses, and sometimes the healthiest response is simply to "turn the TV off" and walk away from the trigger
Podcast theme music by
Dubush Miaw from
PixabayThis episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.
This episode is sponsored by
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally.
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