What are feelings?
Feelings are the way we experience the world around us. They are the way we react to situations and people, and our mental health can be affected by how we process and respond to these feelings. They are also how we express ourselves and communicate, which can lead to misunderstandings if we are not careful and in control of our feelings. This is why it is important to understand what feelings are and how to control them.
Feelings are the result of our internal responses to external stimuli or events. Using the example of being angry, this is the way we experience anger as a result of another event. In this case, we might be angry at another person for what they have done or how they have treated us.
What are the main types of feelings?
When we experience feelings, they fall somewhere along a spectrum. At one end of the spectrum, we have happy feelings, which create positive responses and feelings, while at the other end, we have unhappy feelings, which create negative responses and feelings.
The main types of feelings are happy, sad, anxious, angry, and afraid, but there are also other variations of these main types.
For example, you can feel anxious about something, which is different to feeling anxious in general. When experiencing these feelings, it is important to remember that everything is temporary and that you are the one who has control over your feelings.
Happiness - Happy feelings bring positivity and joy. They are usually activated by positive events and circumstances, such as getting a new job or scoring high on a test.
Sadness - Sadness is when we feel a sense of loss, such as when we lose a loved one or a favourite item. Sadness can also be triggered by a loss of hope or opportunity.
Anxiety - Anxiety is when we feel a sense of worry or stress caused by anticipation of a challenging event or situation. It can also be experienced as a feeling of uneasiness about a situation or a person.
Anger - Anger is when we feel the need to confront a situation or person who has done us wrong. Anger can be triggered by an injustice, inconvenience, or frustration.
Fear - Fear is when we feel anxious about something or someone. It can also be triggered by uncertainty about the future or about a current situation.
How can we control our feelings?
Recognizing how our feelings affect us
In order to control our feelings, we need to first recognize how they affect us. This can be achieved by writing down how we feel on a daily basis so that we can see the patterns and trends in our feelings.
Identifying the triggers
Once we have identified the types of feelings we experience most often, we need to identify the triggers to those feelings. We can do this by keeping a feelings log where we write down each feeling we have, what situation caused it, and how we felt.
Learning how to calm down
When we have identified the triggers to our feelings, we need to learn how to calm down. This can be done by taking deep breaths, focusing on something else, or even meditating.
The benefits of controlling our feelings
Improved mental health
By controlling our feelings, we can improve our mental health significantly. When we are in control of our feelings, we can avoid being affected by negative emotions, which can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Improved relationships
Another advantage of controlling our feelings is that we are better able to maintain healthy relationships with others. When we are able to control our feelings and avoid lashing out at others, we are able to remain calm and avoid unnecessary conflict.
Better performance
Another advantage of controlling our feelings is that we are better able to perform in certain situations. This can be in school or at work when we need to remain focused and avoid being affected by other people’s moods.
Increased creativity
When we are in control of our feelings, we are also able to be more creative and think outside the box. This is important in order to solve problems, come up with new ideas, and find new solutions.
Reduced stress
Another advantage of controlling our feelings is that we are able to reduce stress better. When we are able to control how we respond to various situations, we are better able to manage stress.
Better relationships
By controlling our feelings, we are able to have better relationships with others. This is because we are less likely to lash out at others and avoid unnecessary conflict.
Some tips to control our feelings
Talking it out
Although we can control our feelings, it is also important to let them out sometimes. For example, it is important to let out your sadness when you need to, but it is also important to control it so that you don’t cry all the time. This means that you need to find a way to talk out your feelings so they don’t overwhelm you.
Avoiding other people
Avoiding other people when you are feeling overwhelmed is a good tip to control your feelings, but it doesn’t work all the time. This means that you need to avoid people who will trigger your feelings, but you also need to find people who can help you let out and control your feelings.
Healthy living
Controlling our feelings is not just about how we respond to situations and people, it is also about how we take care of our bodies. This means that we need to eat healthy food and get plenty of sleep so that we have the energy and mental clarity to deal with anything.
Practicing
Controlling our feelings is something that requires practice. This means that we need to find ways to control our feelings every day so that it eventually becomes a habit.
The drawbacks of not controlling our feelings
Unhealthy living
When we don’t control our feelings, we are less able to take care of ourselves. This means that we are more likely to eat unhealthy food and not get enough sleep, which can affect our mental health and performance.
Unnecessary conflict
When we don’t control our feelings, we are more likely to get into unnecessary conflict with others. This means that we are more likely to lash out at others and be unable to control our emotions.
Unhealthy relationships
When we don’t control our feelings, we are less likely to have healthy relationships with others. This means that we are more likely to have arguments with others and cause unnecessary conflict.
Destructive behaviour
When we don’t control our feelings, we are more likely to engage in destructive behaviour. This means that we are more likely to hurt ourselves or others and make rash decisions based on our feelings.
Bad performance
When we don’t control our feelings, we are less able to perform in certain situations. This means that we are more likely to be affected by other people’s moods, which can lead to bad performance.
Lack of creativity
When we don’t control our feelings, we are less likely to be creative. This means that we are less likely to come up with new ideas or solutions to problems.
Conclusion
Feelings are an important part of our daily lives, and when we don’t control them, they can have a negative impact on our mental health and well-being. By recognizing how our feelings affect us, identifying their triggers, and learning how to calm them down, we can take control of our feelings and improve our mental health. The benefits of controlling our feelings include better mental health, better relationships, better performance, and increased creativity. Although there are drawbacks to not controlling our feelings, they are easily avoidable with some practice and self-care.
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