Be In Charge of How You Feel

Have you ever tried to let go of unwanted feelings, but were unable to? What happens is that your emotions get stuck at a certain point and it becomes hard to transition yourself past the hurt and pain.  Ultimately, you hold on to these feelings without even realizing it and think that you have no choice or control over how you feel.  The reality is that you do have control.

Ask yourself this question. “Can I let go of this feeling?”  If the answer is yes, then ask yourself, “When?”If you can say, “Now” then you are on the way to controlling your feelings.

Feelings are always choices.  Nobody can make you feel angry, hurt, or sad.  “You make me so angry,” is an expression we all use.  However, it’s really a decision you make, based on your past experiences and belief system.  Quite simply, your feelings become habits and your responses to what happens to you are driven by blind reason and habitual behavior. 

The goal is to control how you feel so that you keep yourself inspired, joyful and content, especially at this stage of your life, where you may be facing many unexpected challenges.  The bottom line is that it feels good to feel good and you must do everything in your power to maintain that condition. Here are some things to do to help you control your feelings:

1. Distract yourself.  The more you dwell on negative feelings, the more they will grow in your mind, causing you to act and react a certain way.  Instead, give yourself a new thought to think about that is more pleasant and calming.  Stay with that thought for a minute and your mood and state of mind will change.

2. Consider how long you are “willing” to stay in your negative headspace.  Is it an hour, a day or even longer?  If you can put a time frame around it, when the time is over, you can move on.

3. Tap into how your emotions are affecting you physically.  If you have too many strong negative thoughts, they will work like a disease to weaken your resistance and cause you unwelcomed illnesses. Are you experiencing unusual headaches, digestive problems, skin rashes?  If so, your body may be reacting to your resisting mind.