Negative Emotions: "Love Em or Leave Em"

Negative emotions are those emotions that don’t help us to feel good about ourselves or our situations. Anger, sadness, depression, disappointment, discouragement, rage, fear, anxiety and grief among others are what we refer to as negative emotions.

There is nothing inherently wrong with any of these emotions or even how they make us feel. A case can be made for any of the above mentioned about the value they provide. For example any of the so called negative emotions can serve as a warning that we must do something to protect ourselves from pending danger or disaster. The negative emotions can also serve to alert us that something catastrophic has happened. Or in the case of anxiety can warn us that something terrible might happen and to warn us to take cover.

I believe the real problem occurs when well after the alarm has sounded and we have taken cover we still have the negative emotion. So then the issue isn’t with the emotion but more with how long we are subjected to an emotion that is not reflective of the current situation.

Well then, the question has to be how long we allow a negative emotion to stay, if in fact we have control over our emotions.

Let’s settle the control issue first. We can get rid of negative emotions in a host of ways which may not be easy but are doable.

1. Seek help- Professional Counseling/ Clergy/ Medical Treatment/Friends and or family

2. Focus our thoughts and energy on other more positive things

3. Get active- exercise/ volunteer/ interact with friends

4. Healthy diet including proper sleep

So now I ask, how long is too long for negative emotions to be forefront. The emotion showed up to alert us to a situation. The moment we recognize the situation is moment the emotion needs to move along.

Judge Judy often quotes a former president which seems to be appropriate in this case ....

Simply put anything that stays around past their welcome starts to do more harm than good. So it is with negative emotions. We are not meant to be depressed, anxious, angry etc for an extended period of time. Research shows that this increased hormonal state has a negative impact on our emotional and physical health. To stay well we have to take control over these negative emotions once they have served their purpose.

What to do with negative emotions, Love Em or Leave Em? I say Love Em while they are alerting you to a situation that you must respond to in order to be safe. Leave Em right after!