deepstash
Beta
What are Negative Emotions and How to Control Them?
Negative Emotions as Motivation
If we can reframe difficult or negative emotions as part of the bigger picture of overall happiness, they can instruct us that a change is needed and we need to act on the negative behavior to create the change that would lead us to further happiness.
This approach sees us embracing adversity, discomfort and negative emotions as a path to building better resilience and a deeper connection with who we want to be and how we want to show up in the world.
1.55k SAVES
2.92k READS
SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
3
Key Ideas
Emotions are present at all times
Most emotions arise unconsciously as ways of adapting to changes in the environment or in our own mind.
We are emotional beings and there is no experience that does not receive the imp...
The loss of emotional regulation brings:
- Non-acceptance of emotional response (reacting to the expression of emotion)
- Difficulty to commit to planned goals (by the irruption of afflictive emotion)
- Difficulty in controlling impulses (not being able to inhibit)
- Lack of emotional awareness (not being able to name it, label it)
- Limited access to emotional regulation strategies (not knowing how to regain control over afflictive emotion)
- Lack of emotional clarity (not being able to discern the emotions that appear)
Mindfulness can bring improvements in all of these facets.
Afflictive emotions
Within the universe of Mindfulness (following Buddhism), these are emotions that arise in reaction to an experience of displeasure or discomfort in our life, and that make us react without more control of the mind.
Afflictive emotions are not the basic ones of our human condition, like fear, anguish or the most primary anger, but what we do with them.
7
Key Ideas
Emotional clarity
It means that we have a good understanding of how we feel emotionally.
Label your emotions
Use plain language. The more fluent you are with real emotional language, the more clearly you will be able to think about how you’re feeling.
Clarify your emotions
Get used to the idea of emotional complexity. When we feel upset, we're not feeling one single emotion. We are usually experiencing a blend of many emotions.
Training ourselves to look for and see this emotional complexity is key to better understanding ourselves when we’re upset and moving on in a healthy way.
6
Key Ideas
Emotions During a Difficult Conversation
It’s hard not to get worked up emotionally when you’re in a tense conversation: a disagreement can feel like a threat.
But if your body goes into “fight or flight” mode, ...
Breathe
When you start noticing yourself getting tense, try to focus on breathing (on feeling the air coming in and out of your lungs).
This will take your attention off the physical signs of panic and keep you centered.
Focus on your body
Sitting still when you’re having a difficult conversation can make the emotions build up rather than dissipate.
Standing up and walking around helps to activate the thinking part of your brain.