Understanding Basic Emotions

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How To Get The Best Of Your Emotions

As we understand ourselves and grow into maturity, we discover that we sometimes may have failed in managing certain emotions especially negative emotions, which have led us into believing that we have little or no control over our emotional state or outburst. We may have also experienced discrimination for expressing some kinds of emotions.  

This article will correct wrong notions and beliefs towards some of the emotions we express. We have outlined certain nuggets to help understand the place of our emotions and how best to manage them so we can get the best out of them thereby living a healthy life. 

Humans Are Emotional Creatures

One fact about our human nature we cannot deny is our susceptibility to emotional outbursts. While some people are more or less emotional, the fact still remains that we are emotional beings and cannot avoid or ignore feeling a wide range of emotions. 

We’ve been trained to avoid some activities that can elicit strong emotions in us because of our emotional nature.

We can fall prey to deceit,  fall in love, feel sad or scared all because of our environment. 

Mindset, thoughts, and emotions go a long way to control our realities

Our emotions spring from our mind which is the storehouse of our thought process. Also, Our thoughts make up our emotions and this can be a determinant for the quality of life we live.

A healthy mind will produce a healthy life and vice versa.

Many people are unaware that emotions originate in the mind and may also be regulated by it. It is false and baseless to believe that some emotions are uncontrollable.

People who suffer from exaggerated emotional outbursts, such as anxiety or panic attacks, are trained to use their minds as protective gauges and defense systems.

Emotional abuse victims have also been taught how to mend their thoughts.

All these are pointers to the efficacy of the mind when dealing with emotions.

Our emotions can set the pace of our lives and also what/who we attract. Having a negative emotion outplays itself in our relationships by making us a magnet for negativity, negative people, and choices birthed from negativity. This can also be revised with a positive mindset. 

We are not slaves to our emotions

It would be a fallacy to believe that our emotions are way beyond our control. Our emotions are not stronger than us because we have the ability to stir them up and suppress them as we wish. 

That is why we can feel several emotions at once. 

You can choose not to give expression to a certain emotion or feeling and one best way to do this is by changing your environment. 

Psychologists have termed places and persons who stir up certain emotions as emotional triggers. These could also be memories that remind us of positive or negative events in our lives. 

When dealing with negative emotional outbursts, it is advisable to avoid emotional triggers that sponsor those kinds of emotions. It could be people, places, conversations, memories, etc. 

By doing this, we suck out the negative energy and exercise our power over emotional limitations. 

Emotional actions make us good or terrible people

The mistake most people make is blaming their actions on their emotional state. Psychologists tell us that an individual has the willpower to control his or her emotions regardless of how he or she may feel. 

Emotions are not bad in themselves but the actions we take when we are under the influence of our emotions can make us good or terrible people. That is why it is advised to avoid becoming confrontational when expressing certain emotions. 

Emotions are not a sign of weaknesses

Some cultures teach that the display of certain emotions can term you as weak and this is quite wrong. Our emotions testify that we are human. 

Emotions will always be a part of our lives. It will influence our judgment and decisions but we must be careful to ensure that we are not been ruled by it. 

Emotions have been characterized as; positive and negative by Psychologists but this classification is in no way to say that feeling these termed ‘negative’ emotions make you a bad person. Rather, the result and repercussions of most of the actions influenced by the inability to control these emotions are what has been termed negative. 

6 Basic Negative Emotions

1. The Emotion of Fear

Our inability to see into our future or know what we will become in our later lives can stir up the emotion of fear in us. However, feeling afraid is not a bad thing. It can be justified as an expression of your uncertainties.

Nonetheless, fear can become dangerous when you let this emotion rule your life. Feeling afraid or anxious once in a while is not bad, but living a life of fear and anxiety is not a healthy way to live.

If you are going through this, please seek professional help. 

You can control the emotion of fear by associating with people who assure you of safety and stir up faith and hope in you. 

2. The Emotion of Jealousy

Jealousy is a popular emotion most do not like to talk about. Most persons have felt jealous at least once in their lifetime. Jealousy can be triggered by feelings of inadequacy, which can turn into bitterness.

Low self-esteem and a lack of confidence in one’s talents are the foundations of jealousy. This emotion is handled by learning to appreciate oneself more and become more confident in our talents. You can also shed off this negative emotion by redirecting the emotion of jealousy into motivation to become better and do yourself a lot of good.

3. The Emotion of Hatred

We all have at one point expressed the emotion of hatred towards someone or something. 

The emotion of hatred is blinding and can prevent us from seeing the good in people. Hatred can be justified however, it should not rule our relationship with others. 

This emotion if not properly handled can lead to bitterness, jealousy, and revenge and this will in no way lead to a healthy life. 

Choosing to let go of hurt and accepting people for who they are can help you control this emotion and become more open to love and understanding. 

4. The Emotion of Revenge

While having a desire for vengeance isn’t necessarily a negative thing, allowing oneself to be consumed by it can be quite harmful.

The emotion of revenge comes with hate, anger, and restlessness which altogether are not a healthy combination. 

You may be tempted to take offense at the wrongdoings of others, but remember that forgiveness takes more power, making you a better person.

Talking about your hurt can also be an effective way to let out this emotion. 

5. The Emotion of Greed

Our human nature is primarily selfish and greedy. We do not like to share and will at the slightest opportunity take all we can for ourselves thereby disregarding the needs of others. 

One way to control the emotion of greed is to meditate on its consequences and how it can make you fall short of many blessings. 

6. The Emotion of Anger

Anger is a very common emotion we all get to feel sometimes. It could be from the offense, hurt, disappointment, embarrassment, insult, etc. 

Whatever the source of anger, it is best to learn to control it because outbursts make a lasting impression.

It has never been a crime to get angry. It is what you do with the emotion that could be termed as a crime. 

Making decisions to deal with rage is not a terrible act, according to popular belief, but rather a noble one.

Accepting that you are, first and foremost, human and, second, that you have control over your actions is one of the finest ways to get the most out of your emotions.

In circumstances where you feel overwhelmed, please seek professional help.