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NEGATIVE EMOTION AND STRESS

When we analyze what stress is we will discover that it is the experience of a negative emotion that is actually responsible for the discomfort we feel.  It is important to avoid extremes of negative emotions. They strain us at all levels and are not very efficient in helping us achieve our goals. They are like the weeds in our garden. They can drain our inner resources and leave us feeling depleted. As with weeds the sooner we deal with them the easier it is to remove them.  If we let them grow they become more rooted in us. 

For each main negative emotion there are several similar feelings that are connected to that emotion. When we are stressed it is helpful to recognize what emotions we are feeling. Next time you feel stressed out see which of these emotions you are experiencing. You can then ask yourself what you are thinking that makes you feel this way. These thoughts that are called negative thoughts are also a major contributor to our stress levels. Later on in this presentation you will learn how to work with these negative thoughts. 

The main negative emotions are listed below with their related feelings.

Main Emotion                              Related  Feelings

 

Anger                                mad, resentful, annoyed, irritated, furious

 

Anxious                            worried, panicky, nervous, frightened

 

Guilty                                remorseful, ashamed, bad

 

Inferior                             worthless, inadequate defective, 

                                           incompetent

 

Lonely                               unloved, unwanted, rejected, alone, 

                                           abandoned

 

Embarrassed                    foolish, humiliated, self-conscious

 

Hopeless                            discouraged, pessimistic, despairing   

 

Frustrated                         stuck, thwarted, defeated

 

The best antidote for negative emotions is learning to connect more with positive states. The main ones are:

CARING, LOVE, APPRECIATION, ADVENTURE, ENJOYMENT, GRATITUDE, ENTHUSIASM.