The nature of our abiding emotions doesn’t matter. It’s what we do with our abiding emotions that matters.
That’s the deal.
And, what we do with our abiding emotions, must await a critical first step: self-talk.
Abiding emotions, we must talk ourselves through them. Or, if you like, we must talk abiding emotions through ourselves. This is best done soonest: abiding emotions– before self-talk, before analysis– are best not acted-out. And analysis must be done with reality– so far as possible– prominently in-mind.
After self-talk of our abiding emotions, we are positioned, as best possible, to act upon those emotions. Or, we are positioned, as best possible, to choose to not act upon them: our self-talk may determine some abiding emotions are likely based upon phantoms outside reality. Emotions we determine to most likely be the product of unreal phantoms, we can, as much as possible, dismiss. Such dismissal probably will be followed quickly by abiding emotions firmly-rooted in reality.
Dismissal: we must never confuse it with repression. Repressed emotions– probably not first self-talked– tend to fester unpleasantly and then explode into counter-productive, dysfunctional actions.
And, before abiding emotions, are the emotions sudden, strong and pointed. Immediately we act them out, most-likely. And that’s OK. With sudden, strong, and pointed emotions, only a rarely-ironclad stoic could withhold action.
Final note: no distinction here between pleasant and unpleasant emotions. Because their character doesn’t matter. Pleasant emotions, as well as unpleasant emotions, both can produce dysfunctional actions. Such actions are potentially harmful to others as well as ourselves.
Next: “Following Abiding Emotions, the Choices, so Many Choices!”