The trick with negative emotions is to. 1) express them in a socially acceptable and
healthy manner and 2) express them in a way that aligns with your values. Simple example:
A value of mine is nonviolence. Therefore, when I get mad at somebody, I express that
anger, but I also make a point of not punching them in the face. Radical idea, I know. But the
anger is not the problem. Anger is natural. Anger is a part of life. Anger is arguably quite
healthy in many situations. (Remember, emotions are just feedback.)
See, it’s the punching people in the face that’s the problem. Not the anger. The anger is
merely the messenger for my fist in your face. Don’t blame the messenger. Blame my fist (or
When we force ourselves to stay positive at all times, we deny the existence of our life’s
problems. And when we deny our problems, we rob ourselves of the chance to solve them
and generate happiness. Problems add a sense of meaning and importance to our life. Thus to
duck our problems is to lead a meaningless (even if supposedly pleasant) existence