“Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy—think about such things…And the God of peace will be with you.”—Philippians
4:8-9 (NIV)
Emotions are
real. They are powerful. Whether they’re positive or negative, they can often
overwhelm us. I’m sure these scenarios are familiar to most of us:
- Positive energy--You feel a literal peace and warmth spread throughout your body as you engage in a spiritual activity.
- Negative energy--You walk into a room, and you feel like you can cut the tension with a knife. The occupants of the room look angry, and they refuse to meet your eye. It’s no surprise to learn they’d been arguing.
Emotions are Alive
Many people
believe that emotions are actual vibrations/energy.
In fact, quantum physics states
that everything is made up of matter as
well as energy, down to the atomic level. The universe is made up of
vibrating strings. Even people are made up of electronic vibrations.
Undesirable
emotions truly operate at a lower level.
They tear us down rather than build us up. That’s why we need to connect to
higher, more positive, emotions.
Easier said
than done. If you’re like me, you need
all the help you can get. I seem to be attracted to pessimism as firmly as
moths are drawn to light. I battle depression constantly.
We should free
ourselves from the damaging thoughts that are fighting for control of our
minds. Individuals need a fresh perspective and distraction. Here are six
proven methods to break the handcuffs of hopelessness:
1 1. Uplifting Music and other
entertainment
Music
connects immediately to emotions, not to the intellect. It can immediately chase out the darkness—or add
to it. Just ask any musician.
2. Inspiring speeches/talks/sermons
They can also
build us up and help us to feel peace.
3. Change of Scenery
The wisest
people leave a scene before a situation escalates. It’s important to get away from the negative
person/situation, if possible.
4. Prayer
It’s a way
to communicate with Heaven. What more needs to be said?
5. Silence
Refuse to
argue about a situation, or allow it to upset you. Let it go. The negative
emotions will eventually fade. It’s helpful to remind ourselves that “This too
shall pass.”
6. Service
We can
literally forget about our own problems when we help others. Charity is very
distracting, which is how it often benefits the giver more than the receiver. It’s
mentally healthy to get jolted out of our own concerns
One cannot
be depressed if he’s focused outside of himself. Depression is completely
directed inwards. Therefore, unhappy people need to be redirected.
A great
example of refocusing our attention is the relief effort for Hurricane Harvey
in Houston, Texas. Many people are helping
the victims. Some of the generous volunteers and donors are victims themselves,
but they are helping those less fortunate.
My Conclusion
“Keep your face to the sunshine and
you cannot see a shadow.”—Helen Keller
None of us
are perfect. There’s dark and light in everyone. What eventually comes through depends on
which side we nurture.
Related Posts
Are you feeding the darkness or the
light?
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