Our emotions determine our thought processes and our thoughts determine our quality of life. This we know. When you feel good about yourself and whatever has happened in your day, you call it a ‘good day’. When your boss or your loved one said something nasty or treated you unjustly, (to your mind), it becomes a ‘bad day.’
It has been proven that our emotional brain reacts about 80 000 times faster than our logical brain. This implies that we feel a certain thought or emotion long before we have had the time to think it through logically.
Once we understand where our emotions come from, we can start controlling them, not allowing the proverbial horse to run away with us, causing unnecessary harm to ourselves and those around us.
Negative emotions mostly arise from two sources: what others have said or done to us and what we are saying or doing to ourselves. It is not possible to suppress the emotion itself – in some cases, this could even be harmful. But to allow it to take control of your actions is suicide.
”But you don’t know what people do to me! I am only human and can’t help getting angry”, you say.
Granted, there is often justification for anger, and yes, it is perfectly normal to feel hurt rejection or disappointment. It is also normal to justify your indignation with the unfair treatment and to feel cheated when the guilty party walks away with no remorse while you suffer the pain.
But once you become a victim of your emotions, you’ve had it. You will feel out of control and your anger will only escalate, turning you into a prisoner of your own negativity.
When our emotions take over, they can make us lose sight of our vision and our dreams. Choosing to get a grip on your emotions is the first step in the right direction. You cannot change what has happened and often you cannot change your circumstances – but you can choose how you react. This is an investment in your own growth but also in your own liberation.
