Managing Negative Emotions Effectively

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why do negative emotions stick around longer than positive ones? </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s because we’re wired with a negativity bias. It’s nature’s way of keeping us safe. But it doesn’t feel good.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Negative emotions have a way of spiraling into more than just negative feelings. What may start out as a negative emotion can lead to a limiting belief, an away-from orientation, negative outcomes, fewer resources, and even a general place of disempowerment that doesn’t feel good.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Don’t get the idea that negative emotions are useless — they’re not! In fact, they’re a valuable form of communication from your unconscious mind. And when handled effectively, they can, in a roundabout way, help reorient you in a better direction. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While your life is an emotional and spiritual journey, we usually have to take action to feel better.</span></p> <p> </p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Recognize that emotions — negative and positive ones — are going to happen. Emotions are part of being human.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Try to</span> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">observe</span></em> <span style= "font-weight: 400;">your emotions at a distance. It may help to imagine that you’re floating above the event or watching it on a movie screen.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Identify the emotions. Writing them down may help.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Acknowledge and take ownership of your emotions. This is especially important if other people are involved. Someone else may have done something, but the emotions are yours. Own them.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: