We have primary and secondary feelings. Primary feelings are the ones that we feel at the core—for example, sadness or anger, anxiety or loneliness. Secondary feelings are what we feel when we judge ourselves for having the primary feelings. Imagine you're feeling depressed, but then you beat yourself up for feeling depressed and tell yourself you're broken and need to stop feeling depressed. Now you're not just feeling depressed; you're also feeling shameful, pressured, and frustrated. By giving yourself permission to feel the feelings that come up (whatever they may be) with compassion and without judgment, you may notice a weight lifted off your shoulders.