Overcoming negative emotions

Bad feelings are like a fever. You literally feel the effects in your body, they impede you from behaving normally, and you can’t wait until they pass. The difference, however, is that you don’t really have control over a fever, but you have control over your feelings.

Let’s say you’re angry, sad, or discouraged. Your body literally gives you signs and signals: agitation, weakness, nervousness… The feelings are real. Weakness is present. You’re not in the best shape or your best spiritual state. What can you do?

I’m no neurologist or therapist, but here’s what works for me: do the opposite of what you feel like doing.

Behave as if the anger, sadness or whatever other emotion wasn’t there. Your anger says for you to treat your spouse badly or simply ignore them. So treat them well. Speak normally. Go even further: do nice things that you don’t normally do, and repeat the process. Your anger will leave quickly and give way to good feelings.

The same thing applies to any other negative emotion. Take a good dose of activity and movement for discouragement. Search for reasons to be happy and grateful and present them to your sadness.

Action precedes emotion. Your attitudes determine your feelings. What you do affects how you feel.

Create the feelings you want through the attitudes you take. Don’t be a slave to feelings, be their master. Doing this, the fever will pass.