Dealing with your emotions

By Jayaram V

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Emotions are the drama of your life. Without emotions, life would be dull and boring like an empty canvass. The Star Trek character Spock may have many good qualities, but it is doubtful if he would ever be an ideal life partner, unless the other person is equally unemotional. Emotions are at the heart of both good and bad relationships. They bring people together and also tear them apart.

People express their opinions about emotions, but know little about them and much less how to deal with them, live with them and keep them under control. When we are under their influence, it is as if we are different people, living in a different world. We have stories of gods and goddesses and saints and seers becoming emotional and making mistakes.

Many people would not like to admit that they have difficulty in coping with their emotions. But emotions keep surfacing in our lives and cause mental high and lows. It is necessary that we understand our emotions and know how to live with them, without destroying our zest for life and without impairing our inner peace and mental stability. The following suggestions are helpful to deal with your emotions and gain some control over them.

1. APPRECIATE YOUR EMOTIONS

Not all emotions are bad. There are positive emotions, like joy, happiness and love that are very essential for your well being. They keep you in a positive state of mind and remind you that you are alive. They increase your zest for life and keep you from losing hope through trials and tribulations. They keep you healthy and energetic and make you feel good about yourself.

Even negative emotions like fear and anger have their benefits. Fear keeps you within bounds and saves you from possible harm. Anxiety keeps you alert during some critical tasks, such as driving or preparing for exams. Your anger tells others how they can relate to you and to what extent they can take liberties with you. Besides it helps you to protect yourself from the meanness of others.

So appreciate your emotions. Express your positive emotions like love and joy as frequently as possible. Make it a habit to laugh and smile, if necessary even deliberately. Appreciate all the blessings in your life and live with a sense of gratitude. The more you indulge in positive emotions, the greater will be your ability to cope with the difficulties in your life and accept them as a part of your life.