How to Handle Emotions
I got to talking with a friend about emotions and how they can hijack rational thought. It's a common problem. Here's a toolkit for handling emotions so they don't overwhelm you.
* Make an Emotional First Aid Kit. This will help soothe high emotions in the moment.
https://www.essentiallifeskills.org/resources/Emotional%20First%20Aid%20Kit.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20141125021648/https://thoughtcatalog.com/brianna-wiest/2014/11/21-things-everybody-should-collect-and-keep-for-their-emotional-first-aid-kit/
Emotional First Aid
* Study the nature of emotions and their vocabulary. It is easier to get control of things that you can name, and many exercises include naming the emotion(s) you're feeling now.
https://positivepsychology.com/positive-negative-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-positive-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/positive-emotions-list-examples-definition-psychology/
https://positivepsychology.com/negative-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/emotion-wheel/
https://www.jacquelinehogan.com/wheel-of-emotion/
https://practicalpie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Emotion-Wheel-768x846.png
* Sit with your feelings. Some feelings are like toddlers and just want your attention. Once they have it, some of them will fall asleep and stop bothering you. Attention completes the emotion.
https://www.mikeveny.com/blog/learning-to-sit-with-your-feelings-html
https://www.gottman.com/blog/6stepstomindfullydealwithdifficultemotions/
https://www.dochaspsych.com/blog-getting-comfortable-with-uncomfortable-emotions-3-steps-to-sit-with-your-feelings/
https://introspectionbeverlyhills.com/2019/01/23/how-to-sit-with-feelings-of-sadness/
* Practice with cognitive behavioral therapy. This helps you return logic to emotional chaos, especially the awareness of thought distortions and the use of worksheets to lay out points on paper.
https://positivepsychology.com/cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-techniques-worksheets/
* Practice with meditation. This increases your self-awareness and calm, decreases monkeymind issues like chattering and worrying, and improves your ability to snap yourself out of unhelpful mindstates.
https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-positive-psychology-3-great-insights/
https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-exercises-techniques-activities/
https://positivepsychology.com/category/meditation/
https://web.archive.org/web/20150131061905/https://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/
* Practice with emotional regulation. This helps you modulate emotions of all kinds.
https://positivepsychology.com/emotion-regulation/
https://web.archive.org/web/20200804044353/https://manhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com/5-emotional-regulation-skills/
https://www.lifehack.org/844538/emotional-regulation
http://www.indigodaya.com/wpcf7_captcha/2019/04/Coping-skills-flyer-v5_Indigo-Daya.pdf
https://jodiegale.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Reduce-Stress-with-your-Senses.png
* Learn how to express your emotions. These skills let you dial up your feelings when you need to focus on them, so you can process them.
https://positivepsychology.com/express-emotions/
https://www.verywellmind.com/share-your-feelings-with-your-spouse-2300518
https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/healthy-ways-express-feelings/
https://www.wikihow.com/Express-Your-Feelings
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/10-ways-express-yourself
https://www.masters-in-special-education.com/lists/6-types-of-expressive-therapies/
* Learn how to stay calm in a crisis. These skills let you dial down your feelings when they are in the way, so you can focus on other things.
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Calm
https://www.wikihow.com/Calm-Down-Quickly
https://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Calm-when-Infuriated
https://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Calm-When-Things-are-Chaotic
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Calm-in-a-Stressful-Situation
https://www.wikihow.com/Category:Staying-Calm
* Read Prometheus Rising, an instruction manual for brains and minds.
* Study the nature of emotions and their vocabulary. It is easier to get control of things that you can name, and many exercises include naming the emotion(s) you're feeling now.
https://positivepsychology.com/positive-negative-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-positive-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/positive-emotions-list-examples-definition-psychology/
https://positivepsychology.com/negative-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/emotion-wheel/
https://www.jacquelinehogan.com/wheel-of-emotion/
https://practicalpie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Emotion-Wheel-768x846.png
https://www.centervention.com/list-of-emotions-135-words-that-express-feelings/
https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/learning-these-20-foreign-words-for-emotions-you-never-knew-you-had-will-increase-your-eq.html
* Know how to help other people with their feelings. Lots of folks lack basic emotional skills. Small children especially rely on adults to regulate their emotions for them.
https://www.wikihow.com/Comfort-an-Upset-Friend
https://www.wikihow.com/Console-an-Upset-Friend
https://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/self/11-ways-you-can-calm-down-an-angry-friend-256568.html
https://projectlets.org/emergency-action-for-panic-attacks
https://web.archive.org/web/20220108014920/https://www.artofmanliness.com/people/social-skills/how-to-comfort-someone-whos-sad-crying/
https://thevou.com/lifestyle/how-to-comfort-cheer-up-make-someone-feel-better/
https://positivepsychology.com/validation-in-therapy
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/pieces-mind/201204/understanding-validation-way-communicate-acceptance
Emotional and Spiritual Triage
https://iamarockstar.me/10-ways-to-build-a-foundation-of-trust-with-a-trauma-survivor/
https://childmind.org/article/can-help-kids-self-regulation/
https://www.gottman.com/blog/age-age-guide-helping-kids-manage-emotions/
https://www.thehighlysensitivechild.com/sensitive-child-handle-big-emotions/
* Make an Emotional First Aid Kit. This will help soothe high emotions in the moment.
https://www.essentiallifeskills.org/resources/Emotional%20First%20Aid%20Kit.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20141125021648/https://thoughtcatalog.com/brianna-wiest/2014/11/21-things-everybody-should-collect-and-keep-for-their-emotional-first-aid-kit/
Emotional First Aid
* Study the nature of emotions and their vocabulary. It is easier to get control of things that you can name, and many exercises include naming the emotion(s) you're feeling now.
https://positivepsychology.com/positive-negative-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-positive-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/positive-emotions-list-examples-definition-psychology/
https://positivepsychology.com/negative-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/emotion-wheel/
https://www.jacquelinehogan.com/wheel-of-emotion/
https://practicalpie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Emotion-Wheel-768x846.png
* Sit with your feelings. Some feelings are like toddlers and just want your attention. Once they have it, some of them will fall asleep and stop bothering you. Attention completes the emotion.
https://www.mikeveny.com/blog/learning-to-sit-with-your-feelings-html
https://www.gottman.com/blog/6stepstomindfullydealwithdifficultemotions/
https://www.dochaspsych.com/blog-getting-comfortable-with-uncomfortable-emotions-3-steps-to-sit-with-your-feelings/
https://introspectionbeverlyhills.com/2019/01/23/how-to-sit-with-feelings-of-sadness/
* Practice with cognitive behavioral therapy. This helps you return logic to emotional chaos, especially the awareness of thought distortions and the use of worksheets to lay out points on paper.
https://positivepsychology.com/cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-techniques-worksheets/
* Practice with meditation. This increases your self-awareness and calm, decreases monkeymind issues like chattering and worrying, and improves your ability to snap yourself out of unhelpful mindstates.
https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-positive-psychology-3-great-insights/
https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-exercises-techniques-activities/
https://positivepsychology.com/category/meditation/
https://web.archive.org/web/20150131061905/https://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/
* Practice with emotional regulation. This helps you modulate emotions of all kinds.
https://positivepsychology.com/emotion-regulation/
https://web.archive.org/web/20200804044353/https://manhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com/5-emotional-regulation-skills/
https://www.lifehack.org/844538/emotional-regulation
http://www.indigodaya.com/wpcf7_captcha/2019/04/Coping-skills-flyer-v5_Indigo-Daya.pdf
https://jodiegale.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Reduce-Stress-with-your-Senses.png
* Learn how to express your emotions. These skills let you dial up your feelings when you need to focus on them, so you can process them.
https://positivepsychology.com/express-emotions/
https://www.verywellmind.com/share-your-feelings-with-your-spouse-2300518
https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/healthy-ways-express-feelings/
https://www.wikihow.com/Express-Your-Feelings
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/10-ways-express-yourself
https://www.masters-in-special-education.com/lists/6-types-of-expressive-therapies/
* Learn how to stay calm in a crisis. These skills let you dial down your feelings when they are in the way, so you can focus on other things.
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Calm
https://www.wikihow.com/Calm-Down-Quickly
https://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Calm-when-Infuriated
https://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Calm-When-Things-are-Chaotic
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Calm-in-a-Stressful-Situation
https://www.wikihow.com/Category:Staying-Calm
* Read Prometheus Rising, an instruction manual for brains and minds.
* Study the nature of emotions and their vocabulary. It is easier to get control of things that you can name, and many exercises include naming the emotion(s) you're feeling now.
https://positivepsychology.com/positive-negative-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-positive-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/positive-emotions-list-examples-definition-psychology/
https://positivepsychology.com/negative-emotions/
https://positivepsychology.com/emotion-wheel/
https://www.jacquelinehogan.com/wheel-of-emotion/
https://practicalpie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Emotion-Wheel-768x846.png
https://www.centervention.com/list-of-emotions-135-words-that-express-feelings/
https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/learning-these-20-foreign-words-for-emotions-you-never-knew-you-had-will-increase-your-eq.html
* Know how to help other people with their feelings. Lots of folks lack basic emotional skills. Small children especially rely on adults to regulate their emotions for them.
https://www.wikihow.com/Comfort-an-Upset-Friend
https://www.wikihow.com/Console-an-Upset-Friend
https://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/self/11-ways-you-can-calm-down-an-angry-friend-256568.html
https://projectlets.org/emergency-action-for-panic-attacks
https://web.archive.org/web/20220108014920/https://www.artofmanliness.com/people/social-skills/how-to-comfort-someone-whos-sad-crying/
https://thevou.com/lifestyle/how-to-comfort-cheer-up-make-someone-feel-better/
https://positivepsychology.com/validation-in-therapy
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/pieces-mind/201204/understanding-validation-way-communicate-acceptance
Emotional and Spiritual Triage
https://iamarockstar.me/10-ways-to-build-a-foundation-of-trust-with-a-trauma-survivor/
https://childmind.org/article/can-help-kids-self-regulation/
https://www.gottman.com/blog/age-age-guide-helping-kids-manage-emotions/
https://www.thehighlysensitivechild.com/sensitive-child-handle-big-emotions/