How can I change negative emotions into constructive, helpful actions?‍

Five examples of negative emotions:

Anger:

A strong feeling of displeasure or hostility often triggered by frustration, injustice, or perceived wrongdoing.

Sadness:

A feeling of sorrow, unhappiness, or grief usually associated with loss, disappointment, or unfulfilled desires.

Anxiety:

A state of unease, worry, or apprehension about potential future events or outcomes, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as restlessness or tension.

Fear:

An intense emotional response to perceived threats, dangers, or uncertainties, which can lead to avoidance or defensive behaviours.

Guilt:

A sense of responsibility or remorse for having done something wrong or harmful, often accompanied by feelings of self-blame or regret. Guilt is a useless emotion.

When experiencing a panic attack, manage the physical symptoms, manage your beliefs, recognise the beliefs as redundant messages.

Some of these may prove helpful:

• Laugh at yourself (this is freedom)
• Ask helpful questions
• Slow down your thinking
• Take a time-out
• Don’t hold onto the emotion, work with and not against it
• Reject the emotion
• Replace it with a positive emotion
• Praise your effort, be self-encouraging
• Use victories from the past
• Recognise the ghost or memory emotions as what they are and focus on current events
• Use the power of marginal gains (if you can do the next 10 seconds, you can do the next 10 minutes, if you can do the next 10 minutes....)

Buy and read this book A path through the jungle by Steve Peters.

If you are advising others or if you are seeking help for yourself, please remember that professional help may be what is needed. We are a chemical species, positive psychology can be helpful, but not in every case!

What follows are 4 questions for managing instant reactions.

For this to work you have to:

Want it to work, look at it, slow down your thinking, use it positively and honestly. This may take some practice until it works for you.