Question all things: Why do we feel the way we feel? I used to think that someone made me feel something. Whether it was good or bad the feeling seemed to be generated by someone else or something else, not me. When I truly looked at my feelings and became aware of what makes them happen, I found they were always related to my ideas, thoughts and beliefs. It was not the rude behavior that insulted me but my interpretation of the rude behavior. It was not the person not calling me when I wanted but the belief that he was not interested and the subsequent thought that I must not be good enough. It was not the fact that I wasn’t invited to your party but the fact that I interpreted it to mean you didn’t like me and the subsequent belief that in order for me to like me you must like me. It wasn’t the loss of a job but the belief that the loss of a job was a bad thing and not the perfect opportunity to look for something I love to do way better. It was not the death of a loved one but the thought that I didn’t say enough, do enough and visit enough before they left and the subsequent though that I failed to love them like I should and then the subsequent thought that I am not a good person because of it.
We could go on forever with how our mind and our thoughts and our interpretations and our beliefs cause our feelings and emotions. The fact is that our feelings and our emotions are always an inside job. We choose every one of them on some level. The good news is that they serve as indicators to us. They show us when we are off track in the creation of what we truly want. When you are feeling is negative, it is real and needs addressing. You want to delve into the reason you would choose such a feeling and find your way to genuinely choosing another feeling. Don’t pretend to be happy, truly be happy.
