Recently I mentioned experiencing, rather than fighting, negative emotions.
To clarify, I was not suggesting that wallowing in negative emotion is helpful (of course it’s not). What I was referring to is that the first steps of dealing with negative emotions are:
1) Actually feeling the emotion. (This can be very challenging for some people)
2) Not fighting against or trying to ignore the discomfort (which is commonly attempted through behaviors such as overeating, overspending, drinking, etc.).
3) Recognizing the negative emotion as guidance nudging you to examine your thoughts (emotions are always attached to thoughts).
Once you see the thought creating the painful emotion, you’re able to proactively question that thought and decide whether or not to continue to consciously think it.
“The most important lesson I’ve ever learned is that my thoughts are not reality–they are only my story of reality–and that any thought that causes suffering is a lie. That may sound simplistic, but I believe the truth sets us free, and that when our mind-stories coincide with truth, the feeling we have, even in times of sorrow or fear, is one of liberation, deep meaning, and peace.” -Martha Beck
Comments on this entry are closed.