What exactly are emotions?
Emotions are simply feelings. To begin understanding your emotions, ask yourself two questions:
- What are my thoughts?
- How do I know this?
Others, however, have feelings. You must be conscious of your own feelings as well as those belonging to others.
You should also inquire:
How can I know what others are going through, and how can I tell?
We may infer how people feel in a variety of ways, but one of the most effective is to watch what they say and do, including their body language. According to research, more than 80% of communication is nonverbal, i.e.through nonverbal cues Because many of us loathe speaking about our emotions, especially when they are intense, we prefer to express them through our mannerisms.
The Brain and Emotions
Emotions are not controlled consciously.The limbic system is a collection of structures involved in processing emotion and memory This brain region is assumed to have formed relatively early in human existence, making it quite primitive. This explains why an emotional response is often simple but powerful: you want to cry, run away, or yell.
If you’ve had a poor experience in the past, your emotional response to a similar stimulus is likely to be intense.Your emotional reactions may or may not be linked to a specific situation or reasoning, but logic and awareness can help you solve them.
Babies experience emotion but are unable to reason. Emotions and values are also inextricably linked: an emotional response may indicate that one of your core values has been challenged.
Understanding the connection between memory and values provides the key to managing your emotional response. Your emotional reactions may or may not be linked to a specific situation or reasoning, but logic and awareness can help you solve them.
Learning to Manage Emotions
How to manage and control emotions has been discussed and written about extensively.
“Anyone can get furious; that is easy; but being angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right moment, for the right reason, and in the right way is not within everyone’s control or easy.” Aristotle
You can achieve a lot when you have positive energy, but it won’t last forever. You’ll have to minimize your energy consumption sooner or later. Maintain your good attitude, and you will heal rapidly. If you indulge in more negative emotions, you will become exhausted.
High negative energy is a really unpleasant place to be: it seems like you’re battling for your life all the time.You’ll have to cut back on the energy at some point because burnout is a possibility.
Positive Behaviors to Help You Manage Your Emotions
You may help yourself control your emotions by taking a number of measures. Many of them are fairly general, but give them a shot because you never know what might work.
Exercise: causes the brain to release reward and pleasure compounds such as dopamine, which helps you feel better. Being healthy also makes you healthier, which aids with emotional management.
Be kind to others:It saves you from having to worry about yourself
Be objective to what is happening around you and be unbiased about it:Learn to cherish what is going on and desist from being ruthless on people or situations.
It’s beneficial to converse: Spend time with others and take pleasure in their company.
Divert your attention: Yes, you are indeed that shallow. Watching some TV, reading, or surfing the internet would most likely help you forget about how you were feeling.
Don’t succumb to negative thinking: If you find yourself having negative thoughts, question them by looking for evidence to the contrary.
Spend time outside: Being outside in the fresh air, especially near nature, is really beneficial for soothing emotions. There is evidence that humans need to see horizons, so go up a hill and take in the scenery.
Be thankful: Thank individuals in person for doing kind things for you, and remember to do so in the future.
Play to your strengths: This frequently entails doing things you enjoy, but it also entails doing things that are good for you.
This list may appear to be extremely antiquated, but perhaps our ancestors understood a thing or two about dealing with emotions that we have forgotten. Finding the correct balance for you can help you reduce stress and battle depression.
Emotional Reasoning
In the Face of Emotional Reasoning,You have the ability to change your feelings, as previously stated. The key is to identify and recognize what is setting off your emotional response. You’ll be able to apply reasoning to it this way.
For instance, you could ask yourself some questions concerning potential courses of action, such as:
- What impact would that have on me and others?
- Does this activity align with my core values?
This allows you to apply logic to an emotional reaction before reacting.
Making Decisions Based on Emotions
You can use logic, emotion, or a combination of the two to make judgments.
Emotional decisions are sometimes viewed as being made in the “heat of the moment,” yet emotions play a larger role in most decisions than we realize. If you’ve ever been married, you’ll understand how much thinking goes into the decision to marry or not to marry. Few, on the other hand, would claim that the result is purely logical.
The finest decisions are made with a combination of logic and passion.
If you solely use one or the other, your decisions may be unbalanced or may not meet your emotional demands. Instead, you must balance your emotional reaction with more sensible thoughts.
Emotions are Essential.
Being aware of our own and others’ emotions is beneficial. This is something that people who are extremely emotional and clever do all of the time.It is a skill that, like any other, can be cultivated and is well worth gaining.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you say and what you do, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou