Podcast Script: Living the Full Landscape of Life
Hi friend, welcome back to Running to Myself. I’m your host, Trisha Stanton, life coach—and someone who continues to learn that life is not meant to be lived on the surface.
Today’s episode is about exploring and processing the full range of our emotions—and how doing so helps us create lives of meaning and purpose. I’ll be sharing a story from my recent trip to Maui, a trip that ended up being so much more than just a beach vacation. We’ll use it as a lens to talk about contrast, depth, and the courage it takes to walk through both the breathtaking and the difficult. And, as always, I’ll give you practical mindset tools to help you apply this in your own life.
If you've ever found yourself tempted to skip over the harder emotions, or if you’ve wondered why life feels flat even when everything seems “fine,” this episode is for you. Let’s get started!
Last month, we went to Hawaii for a family vacation. How this vacation came about was a surprise in itself. I was driving across town on a random Tuesday when Dave called and said, “Hey, I just paid a down payment for a trip to Hawaii. We have nine months to book it.”
Nothing could have surprised me more. At the time, life had so many unknowns that I could hardly picture what or when or how this was going to work. Honestly, I set the idea aside and forgot about it for the next several months.
Fast forward to midsummer, and we knew we either needed to book the trip or lose the money. Not wanting to be wasteful, we chose Maui in September.
Now, I had been to Maui before—35 years ago. At the tender age of 19 with my parents and younger brother. At 19 I thought I knew Maui. Back then, we stayed on the beach, in the tourist area. The Maui I experienced was beaches and palm trees. This was the picture I carried with me for the next 3 decades.
But this trip was different. This time we explored the whole island. We drove from Ka’anapali Beach on the far west side of the island to the far east side to hike the Pipiwai Trail. On the map, it was 77 miles. In reality, it took us over three hours. Narrow roads, broken shoulders, potholes, stretches of dirt road, sheer drop-offs with no guardrails. It was slow, rugged, and sometimes unnerving.
And yet—it was one of the best days of our trip. Out one car window, waves pounded against jagged lava rock. Out the other, sunlit grasslands climbed mountainsides. We saw ranch land, lava fields, rainforest, desert, and cliffs—all in the span of one afternoon. And when we finally arrived, the hike was unforgettable: giant banyan trees, thick bamboo forests, and waterfalls cascading down cliffsides.
You see—this island was never just beaches. That was only a sliver of the truth. My first trip wasn’t wrong—it was just an incomplete picture. Very incomplete. Maui is beaches and cliffs, desert and rainforest, beauty and ruggedness.
And isn’t that just like life?
At 19, my view of life mirrored my view of Maui: simple, easy, predictable. As I’ve grown older, life has revealed itself to be full of contrast. Beauty and devastation. Calm and chaos. Joy and grief.
Here’s the thing: If we only allow ourselves to experience the “tropical beach” side of life—the happy, easy emotions—we miss out on the full depth and richness of what life offers.
And yet, that’s exactly what many of us try to do. We skim the surface. We numb, we distract, we rush past emotions that feel uncomfortable. But if we do that, we end up living half-lives.
Processing our emotions—all of them—creates the space for meaning.
Why Does Processing Our Emotions Matter So Much for a Meaningful Life?
Let’s take a look at four reasons why processing our emotions matters.
Reason #1. Emotions are messengers.
Every emotion—pleasant or unpleasant—carries important information if we’re willing to listen. Anxiety, for example, isn’t always a signal that something is wrong—it can be your body nudging you to prepare, to pay attention, to step into courage. Sadness often reveals what we care most about—it points to the values we hold dear, the relationships we treasure, the dreams we long for. And joy? Joy is a highlighter—it shows you where your heart comes alive, where your passions and gifts intersect.
But here’s the catch: if we dismiss or suppress our emotions, we miss the message. It’s like ignoring the warning lights on your car dashboard. The lights aren’t the problem; they’re pointing you to what needs attention. Emotions work the same way—they don’t define you, but they do inform you.
Reason #2. Unprocessed emotions don’t disappear.
Many of us live under the illusion that if we push emotions down, they’ll just go away. But emotions are energy. They don’t vanish—they get stored. And stored emotions eventually leak out—sometimes as physical symptoms like tension headaches, stomach issues, or exhaustion. Other times as burnout, irritability, or snapping at the people we love most.
Think of it like lava. Beneath the surface, it’s always moving, always alive. You may not see it, but it’s shaping the land. Our emotions do the same. Left unprocessed, they quietly shape our choices, our relationships, our bodies. When we choose to process them instead, we take back the steering wheel.
Reason #3. Depth equals connection.
Our culture often teaches us to stay light and positive, but real connection doesn’t happen at the surface. It happens in the depths. When you let yourself feel joy fully and share it, people celebrate with you. When you let yourself grieve and share it, people gather close.
This is why funerals, though painful, are often deeply bonding experiences—because everyone in the room is united in shared sorrow. And it’s also why laughter around a dinner table or inside jokes with friends create such strong bonds—because joy multiplies when it’s shared.
When we wall ourselves off from our own emotions, we also wall ourselves off from connection with others. But when we’re willing to go deep, we invite others to go deep with us. That’s where intimacy, belonging, and authentic community live.
Reason #4. Avoidance robs us of growth.
Avoiding emotions often feels safer in the short term. It’s like turning around on a rugged road because the potholes look intimidating. In that moment, you get relief—you don’t have to face the bumps, the curves, the uncertainty. But the cost is high: you miss the breathtaking views and the unforgettable experiences on the other side.
Growth comes from walking through—not around—our emotional experiences. Facing fear teaches courage. Walking through grief teaches compassion. Sitting with disappointment strengthens resilience.
The road may be rugged, but rugged roads often lead to waterfalls, bamboo forests, and views you can’t get anywhere else. Avoidance offers short-term comfort but long-term stagnation. Processing emotions, even when uncomfortable, offers short-term discomfort but long-term depth, wisdom, and beauty.
You may be wondering how you can expand your emotional capacity. And don't worry, of course I have tools for you! Here are five tools you can use to expand your emotional capacity:
Tool #1. The 90-Second Rule
Emotions are like waves—they peak and pass through the body in about 90 seconds if we don’t resist them. Next time you feel overwhelmed, set a timer. Sit with it. Notice the physical sensations. You may be surprised at how it shifts.
Tool #2. Name It to Tame It
Give your emotion a name: “This is grief.” “This is frustration.” “This is joy.” Naming engages the logical brain and helps integrate the experience rather than letting it run wild.
Tool #3. Journaling the Landscape
Think of your inner life as Maui. Write down the “beach emotions” (joy, calm, ease), the “lava fields” (anger, fear, stress), the “rainforests” (renewal, curiosity, awe). What parts of your inner island are you avoiding?
Tool #4. Emotional Curiosity Instead of Judgment
Instead of “I shouldn’t feel this way,” try “Interesting that I feel this way. I wonder why?” This gentle curiosity opens doors where judgment slams them shut.
Tool #5. Courageous Conversation
Pick one emotion you usually avoid and share it with a trusted person. Vulnerability deepens connection and reminds you that you’re not alone in the rugged terrain.
That rugged drive wasn’t easy. It was slow, uncomfortable, and even a little scary. But it also gave us some of the most memorable views of our trip—and led us to a trail that was breathtaking.
Life is the same. When we allow ourselves to walk through the difficult emotions, not just skim the surface, we discover depths of beauty, purpose, and resilience we never would have known otherwise.
Friend, if living a meaningful life were possible by staying only on the easy roads, I’d be the first to sign up. But the truth is, it’s the full landscape—the beaches, the cliffs, the lava fields, the rainforests—that makes life what it is.
So here’s my encouragement for this week: Don’t skim. Don’t settle for partial pictures of your life. Explore it all. Feel it all. Let every emotion expand your capacity for meaning and purpose.
And if you’d like to go deeper, this is the exact work I do with my coaching clients. Together we learn how to process emotions, build resilience, and create purposeful lives from the inside out. If that speaks to you, I’d love to talk. You can message me or visit my website to book a free consultation.
Thank you for joining me today. Until next time, keep exploring the full landscape of your own life.
