Powerful emotions show us how and where to love ourselves.
Please discuss. How does this play out in life?
I’ll start us out. Strong emotions are part of the human condition. Some we see as positive—joy, love, gratitude—and others as negative—fear, anger, shame. When we experience something intensely, our attention is grabbed by what we’re feeling. Everything else is pushed away, in the moment, by the depth of our emotion.
While we experience these overwhelming feelings in response to an event, they also can serve to help build us up as a person. In a wash of positive emotions, we see a healthy side of ourselves and can offer it conscious gratitude and appreciation. In this way, we reinforce the tendency to feel good within ourselves and set up a positive feedback loop.
When we’re overwhelmed by negative emotions, there is a part of us that feels hurt or damaged. This is a cry for us to love, support, and nurture that part, to help it heal. Strong feelings can guide us toward resolving inner conflicts and releasing old wounds.
Today’s message shows me that powerful emotions point out how to love myself more. When I reward positive emotions with thankfulness, I set myself up for more of the same. In nurturing the parts of myself that generate negative emotions, I show them that positive feelings and possible and more enjoyable. In paying attention to my strong feelings, I can strengthen my tendency to be happy.
How about you? How do you leverage your powerful emotions?