Is an Emotional Echo running your show?

Welcome back to the Real Positive Change Podcast. I’m Cathy Freeman, and today we’re stepping into a conversation every woman needs—but rarely gets. Have you ever had a moment where a small disappointment hits you way harder than it should? Or a simple request from someone suddenly feels overwhelming… and you don’t know why? You’re not alone. Today we’re talking about The Emotional Echo—why certain moments feel bigger, heavier, or more tender than the situation deserves. And more importantly, how old interpretations from your past may still be shaping how you feel today. We’re going to look at: the two layers of every emotion, Why does your body react first, how your mind often piles on meaning, and how simple creative reminders can help rewrite emotional pain and bring peace to your nervous system. This episode is gentle, eye-opening, and deeply empowering.
Let’s begin. MUSIC Welcome back to the Real Positive Change Podcast.
I’m Cathy Freeman, and today we’re talking about something that has brought so many women—myself absolutely included—relief, clarity, and compassion: A better understanding of the two layers in every emotional experience. This simple framework has changed the way I experience overwhelm, disappointment, frustration, and even those moments where I whisper to God… “I can’t take one more thing.” Today, I’m going to walk you through: Why emotions feel so intense The surprising second layer that makes them heavier than they need to be How Creative Reminders + art can lift emotional overload out of your nervous system And by the end, you will have language, compassion, and a clear path forward. SECTION 1 — The First Layer: Emotion Let’s begin with something most women have never been taught: 👉 Emotions come in waves… and the physical wave only lasts about 90 seconds. That insight comes from Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard-trained neuroscientist.
She discovered that from the moment a feeling is triggered in the body, the chemical reaction runs its course in about a minute and a half. That’s it.
The first layer is simply: Tightness in the chest Tears rising Shoulders tensing Heat in the face That sinking feeling in your stomach All of that is the body's chemical response — not a character flaw, not a failure, not a weakness.
Just the human body doing what it was designed to do. SECTION 2 — Then comes The Second Layer: Your Interpretation Here is where everything gets heavier: 👉 Interpretation is the meaning your mind attaches to the emotion. This layer is optional — but it feels so real. And interpretation can sound like: “This is happening again. I can’t handle it.” “See… I’m not enough.” “Other women do this better. Why can’t I?” “This must mean something is wrong with me.” “If I were stronger, this wouldn’t bother me.” The emotion lasts 90 seconds.
The interpretation can last hours…days or even years. And when these old interpretations begin to repeat themselves, I call that: The Emotional Echo. It's when today’s feelings are amplified by yesterday’s meanings. SECTION 3 — Example 1: Disappointment Let’s say something small happens: You planned dinner.
You hoped everyone would appreciate the effort.
But instead… no one seems to notice. Emotion (first layer):
A little drop in the stomach.
A wave of discouragement.
Maybe sadness. Interpretation (second layer): “I’m invisible.” “Why do I even try?” “I’m not valued.” “No one appreciates me.” But here’s the truth:
The disappointment didn’t cause all that pain.
The interpretation did. This is where women get exhausted — carrying meanings that were never God’s truth. SECTION 4 — Example 2: Feeling Alone in Responsibility This one runs deep for so many women. Maybe it's caring for a child with special needs…
or managing a household…
or doing emotional labor for the whole family. Emotion (first layer):
Fatigue
Overwhelm
Tension
Tears behind the eyes Interpretation (second layer): “Why am I the only one carrying this?” “If I ask for help, I’m a burden.” “No one sees what I do.” “I should be stronger.” Again… the emotion was simply a wave. The interpretation is the heavy backpack we strap on afterward. SECTION 5 — Example 3: Grief or Loss This one is so important. Emotion (first layer):
A rush of sadness
Tight throat
Heavy chest
 The Interpretation (second layer): “This pain will never end.” “I’m falling apart.” “If I were trusting God more, I wouldn’t feel this deeply.” “Something is wrong with me for still hurting.” The emotion is human. The interpretation is the accusation. And God is nowhere in the accusation. SECTION 6 — The Emotional Echo: How the Brain Reinforces It So here’s what happens in the brain: Emotion → Interpretation → Reinforcement → New Emotion Reinforcement simply means:
Your brain looks around your life for evidence to prove the interpretation. If you think, “I’m invisible,”
your brain will notice every moment in your life that matches and supports that belief. If you think, “I’m failing,”
your brain will highlight every mistake. This is how the emotional echo grows louder — even when the original emotion has long passed. SECTION 7 — How Creative Reminders Rewrite the Emotional Echo This is the part I love, because it is powerful and accessible: 👉 Creative Reminders help replace old emotional meanings with truth. The more you focus on the creative reminder, you begin to build strong thought patterns that are looking for truth rather than old stories to stand as evidence And then, When you pair a Creative Reminder with art, something beautiful happens: The nervous system softens The emotional wave completes The interpretation shifts The “echo” loses its grip A new truth gets embedded through creativity Why art helps:
Art activates the right brain — the part responsible for calm, connection, imagination, and healing.
It opens the body so the new choice of thought can “stick.” Here are some Creative Reminders that rewrite emotional echoes: “The Savior goes before me and clears the way.” “I release what I can’t control and receive God’s peace.” “I am supported, guided, and strengthened today.” “I don’t carry this alone.” “God meets me in every emotion.” “I am allowed to pause, rest, and breathe.” And when you write one of these on a page,
add color,or paint behind it… Your nervous system receives it as truth. Not just intellectually — but physically WHY is that ? Because your brain does not interpret creativity as “just art.”
It interprets it as sensory experience — and sensory experience is what rewires emotional patterns. When you write a phrase, you activate: the language centers of your brain the prefrontal cortex (decision + meaning-making) your motor system (muscle movement signals safety) When you add color, or paint behind the phrase, you activate: the visual processing centers the emotional centers linked to color + memory the parasympathetic nervous system which slows stress responses Together, this becomes a multisensory message that your brain stores more deeply than spoken words alone. Your body says: “I’m seeing it, touching it, choosing it, and experiencing it —
so this must be safe… and this must be true.” That’s why women often feel calmer, clearer, or more grounded after creating something—even a simple color behind a statement.