Over and over again, I hear people using their feelings as vindication for why they can or can’t do something. This got me thinking about the danger of our “feelings” getting in the way of our success. In fact, Joyce Meyer’s book Living Beyond Your Feelings was SUPER helpful in addressing this very important issue.
It is easy to let our emotions get away from us. However, it is how we deal with our emotions that make the difference between getting what we really want in life and burning bridges. These are the top 5 tips I have found to be the best way to move past our ongoing emotional roller coaster we call life!
IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE EMOTION
Let’s be real with ourselves. It doesn’t make sense to ignore your emotional triggers. When you clearly recognize them, then you can actively avoid situations or people who will bring out the worst side of yourself.
USE YOUR WORDS
I always laugh when I hear parents telling their children to use their words so they can clearly describe what they want or need. When in reality, this is something we adults should be reminding ourselves. Instead of screaming or acting passive aggressively, we should use specific words to let others know what is going on inside our minds. Why are we mad? Why are feeling so jealous? What is the problem? Literally, express your thoughts so that you can actually get past the emotional turmoil you are dealing with.
USE YOUR RESOURCES
We all have people or things in our lives that make us feel better. Instead of wallowing in our emotions it is important to proactively do things that will help us move past the emotion we are dealing with. The minute I get mad, I need to write to calm down. Whether it is a poem, short story, or blog post, I start to fuel that anger into a positive channel. What is a resource that you can turn to get past anger, sadness or any other emotional flux you might be experiencing?
WORK TOWARDS A SOLUTION
The lawyer in me ALWAYS seeks the solution to a situation I am dealing with. It doesn’t help to focus only on the emotion. How can you get pass it to feel better? Prioritizing on the actions necessary to move forward is an excellent way to propel yourself upwards and onwards!
LEARN FROM THE SITUATION
Are you asking yourself how you have learned from a situation? Could you have acted differently? If the situation happened again next week how would the result be different? Learning from situations in life is a sign of maturity and a deep commitment to growing as a person. Change is always possible as long as you take the time to assess your life along the way.
I love how many different emotions there are in life. I don’t love when I hear people using emotions as a way not live the lives they want for themselves. Controlling our feelings is a necessary part of life. Don’t You Agree?
~ Natasha