Controlling My Emotions
Controlling my emotions is a worthy aim of mine. One I am happy to say I have become less challenged by. I have found it impossible to think both good thoughts and bad thoughts at the same time.
I can make mistakes but I don’t let them define me. That way I have kept the baggage of self-condemnation that saps me of motivation at bay. I often steel myself against barrage of complaints with a focus on what lessons I can act on from the feedback I am receiving. It is important to know which battles to fight, when and how.
Where our thoughts go, so also our emotions. History has instances of this – Prophet Elijah ran for his life when his thoughts went to the words of Queen Jezebel and his lone stand against the prophets of Baal. Negative thoughts blind us from the positive. There were 7,000 people who supported his position but were silent and inactive then.
To change my emotions, I am learning to give as little attention to negative thoughts as possible. My focus was always on lack and my feelings when I was mentally ill. Seeing the needs of others with the possible solutions at hand has over time changed my mental focus from inward negative thoughts to outward positive ones.
Thinking of oneself breeds an attitude of pride regardless of the circumstances. In negative situations there is a thin line between self-preservation and pride. Pride in positive situations can lead your focus to be on your part in the success and on the trap of your position being the only important one.
Being always aware of the needs and schedule of others helps keep me in a healthy frame of mind. You may notice I have written this piece mostly in the first person. That is because a healthy frame of mind is a personal responsibility. Controlling my emotion is therefore my personal responsibility. Constantly practicing this has kept me from relapse into mental illness for more than 7 years.
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