Tag: #negative emotions

Masking Our Thoughts/Emotions

by Ana-Alicia

Masking has evolved and is now defined as concealing one’s emotion by portraying another emotion. It is mostly used to conceal a negative emotion (usually sadness, frustration, and anger) with a positive emotion. This is the definition I found online. What I mean by this concept in this post is avoiding, hiding, concealing, or suppressing thoughts and emotions with external means, like food, alcohol and drugs.

Best bet is to confront/acknowledge the problem, or struggle to manage and cope. This will help you find solutions and help ease your mind. The thing is it isn’t an easy concept for most. People tend to prefer to use coping strategies as food, alcohol, and drugs to seek comfort, instead of facing the problem, they do it without realizing it. These strategies are not healthy, but for the individual it is a short-term fix. That is why a mindful approach is very important, so awareness can stop these habits.

Avoiding is easier. It is easier to pick up the drink, take the drugs, and eat the food, than to try to make changes, maybe it isn’t easier, it could be the fact that people don’t have the knowledge to a more mindful approach to get them out of this cycle of habits. The dopamine release from using these strategies for comfort is rewarding for the individual. You feel good for the moment. The problem is it doesn’t last long. It feels nice for a couple minutes, maybe hours, than reality sets in again. Everything is back to where it was when you started. You may even feel worse for doing what you did, feelings of guilt, shame, or anger may arise.

Using these strategies to push away your problems, or hide them away just perpetuates the problem. This allows the problem to linger, which than allows one to continue to act on the bad habit. It is an endless cycle of negativity and bad habits. These habits cloud your mind, especially alcohol and drug use. It impairs the frontal lobe. The area of the brain needed to fix the problem you are dealing with. By clouded the mind, you are allowing the problem to remain and grow.

Nothing can be fixed with external things. It can only alleviate the underlying issues. You will continue to eat, drink, and consume drugs when dealing with negative emotions/thoughts, until one is able to face the problem straight on with a clear mind to find solutions.

I know it is tempting to pick up the drink, eat the food, or take the drugs. But one must learn to take control of their lives, and not allow things around us to control us. These mindless habits can just lead to more problems for one mentally and physically. There is just nothing good long-term that comes out of suppressing your thoughts and feelings.

Taking the mindful road can allow you to become aware of one’s thoughts, feelings and emotions. This can then allow you to become aware of these bad habits. Which then can allow you to put a stop to these habits. You will learn to face the problems in your life, then learn to concur them with a calm and clear mind. This process will provide peace of mind, strength, and recovery. The thing you must always remember is that you have control of your habits. Give yourself back that power. Take the power back into your hands.

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Getting Control of Your Emotions

by Ana-Alicia

It is time to put the power back on you. He/she annoyed me. He/she upset me. He/she stressed me out. The thing we as individuals don’t realize is that others don’t cause these emotions. It is us as individuals that allow them to do so. We give others, and life situations power over our emotions.

I tend to do this as well, but I decided I will try to limit blaming others and life situations for my negative emotions. I realize they come from me. The individual is the source of letting negative emotions pervade them. I will not think,he/she made me feel any type of negative emotion, no, I allowed them to create these feelings. Doing this gives me control of my emotions.

This isn’t about blaming yourself for having these feelings. It is all a part of being human. We will all feel these type of emotions. It is about learning that you as an individual have the power, and that creates strength, confidence, and character. We give too much power to others. When you tell yourself, I allowed another individual to create this negative energy me, it gives you the opportunity to learn, grow, evolve, and work on improving how you handle the situation in the future. It is not about blaming yourself, others, or life. It is about accepting the reality of the situation, and working towards improving how you cope with negative emotions in a constructive way.

Remember, you can’t change others, or how life works. The only thing you can do is change yourself, so it is better to work on how you as an individual deals with things. We focus too much on that person, or the situation. The focus should be on ourselves.

Doing this helps me move on from the situation much more quickly and smoothly. It allows me not to hold on to resentment, or anger. I can continue to live peacefully and happily. No one needs that type of negativity in their lives. I definitely don’t. That is why I try not to give power over my emotions to others. This is something I control. This is something I can work on. I have the power. Giving yourself that power is a wonderful tool to create peace, and positivity in your life.

Remember when dealing with negative emotions, take deep breaths, try not to react, try not to place blame, just let it be, and the reality of the situation, and acceptance will shine through.

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Try Not to Let Others Pull You Into Negativity

by Ana-Alicia

If you are upset, annoyed,or stressed by someone else. Please try to take a step back and practice mindfulness. Try not to react, because most likely you will regret it. When we are upset, we react before we think. We also tend to only see ourselves as right, and the other as wrong, which can lead to arguments, anger, negativity, and eventually guilt.  

     With mindfulness, you can learn to take a step back, and sit with the feeling you have. Once you are aware of your emotions. You can than figure out the reality of situation, and find ways to resolve the situation. If you just get upset and angry, nothing will be resolved, and negativity will snowball. You may say, or do something you may regret, which then leads to more tension.

     You can try to see things from their point of view, did they intentionally try to upset you?, did you take what they said, or did the wrong way? It is all about perspective. We all think and see things differently. Communication is important. If you are upset with someone. It is best to talk to them after the emotions have settled. You should not talk to someone, while you are upset, because we don’t think as clearly, and you may say hurtful things you will regret.

     Now if this person intentionally wants to be hurtful, than you should try not to let them get to you. You allow them to win power over you if you do so. Anyone who intentionally wants to hurt someone else has some issues themselves that they can not cope with, but that is their problem, and you should learn not to let them affect your mood.

     Remember people don’t upset you. It is what you allow to upset you. The power is in your mind, and how you handle other individuals. It isn’t wrong to be upset, annoyed, or feel any negative emotions. That is normal. The problem is when you let the emotion consume you into a destructive path; that is when the problem arises.

Keep Negative Emotions From Consuming Your Life

by Ana-Alicia

With Mindfulness practice, you can learn not to let negative emotions consume you. Anger, fear, sadness, greed, jealousy, envy, anxiety, loneliness are just a few of the many negative emotions an individual has in their lifetime. We can not stop from feeling these emotions, but we can learn to control how much they affect us. You will get sad, annoyed, upset etc., but it is about how much you let those emotions build to where it causes distress and misery.

      Whenever you feel any of these emotions. Take a step back, sit with the emotion, accept what you are feeling, and remember the emotions will eventually fade. The first step is to become aware of the emotions you are feeling. Awareness is important. After becoming aware. Identify what is upsetting you. You should try not to attach any positive, or negative emotions to the feelings. Try to look at the situation in a non judgmental way. When you are able to do that. You will be able to see the reality of the situation.

     We tend to attach negative thoughts to these feelings, which creates more negativity, misery, discomfort etc,. We also react, rather that stepping back, which can lead to guilt and regret, and that creates more tension. It is all about controlling how much these emotions affect you. You may not have the power to stop these emotions from happening, but a mindful approach can help you stabilize the emotions where it doesn’t get out of hand.

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Have A Mindful Day

by Ana-Alicia

Try not to rush through things throughout the day. Focus your energy on the task you are doing. Focusing on what you are going to do next leads to anxiety. Remember things will get done eventually. Just immerse yourself in the activity one is doing at the moment. No matter how dull you may think it is. Immerse yourself with your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and behaviors in the present moment. You can always learn something new with any experience. Living in the moment is when you are living. Embrace it. It will lead to peace, calm, and relaxation of the mind and body.

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