Have We Taken Emotional Expression Too Far?

In today’s culture, emotional expression is everywhere.
We’re told to open up, cry more, share our struggles, and talk about our feelings — especially as men.

But here’s the truth: you’ve always been allowed to share your feelings.
Talking about your struggles isn’t new.
What is new is the idea that emotional expression — especially crying or venting — is the only or best way to deal with hard things.

At MAP, we coach people to build physical and mental resilience.
And a big part of that is knowing when to face difficulty head-on without letting it define who you are.

Too much focus on feelings — too much talking, venting, or complaining — can start to pull you off course.
When your identity becomes centered around your pain or problems, you stop moving forward.
You stop growing.
You become stuck.

There’s a difference between acknowledging emotion and being ruled by it.
There’s a difference between asking for help and outsourcing your entire mindset.

This isn’t about suppressing emotion — it’s about not dwelling in it.

As coaches, veterans, lifters, and leaders, we’ve seen what happens when people let their emotions take the wheel.
They lose direction.
They get reactive.
They stop solving problems and start narrating them.

Instead, we teach our clients to own their situation, regulate emotion, and build strategies that lead to progress — even when it’s uncomfortable.

The Stoics had this nailed. Marcus Aurelius said:
“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

You can feel things without becoming those things.
You can be struggling and still strong.
Hurt and still moving.
Uncertain and still disciplined.

That’s what we believe in.

Feel. Process. Then get back to the work.

Life gets heavy. But staying in that place doesn’t help.
If you want tools, structure, and support to move forward, book a call with us.
We’re here to help you keep going — not just feel better, but do better.

—
Nat Galloway
Coach, Master Athletic Performance