A series of articles, produced by the square magazine, offering a guide to practical life lessons, taught through Freemasonry for young professionals, setting out in life after completing full time education.
Lesson 5 How to handle difficult emotions like anger, sadness, and fear
Why it is important to handle difficult emotions like anger, sadness, and fear
1. Handling difficult emotions can prevent negative consequences in relationships and interactions with others. For example, uncontrolled anger can lead to conflicts and arguments, while unacknowledged sadness can lead to isolation and withdrawal.
2. Properly managing difficult emotions can improve overall mental health and well-being. Ignoring or suppressing emotions can lead to emotional distress and can exacerbate mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
3. Handling difficult emotions allows for better decision-making and problem-solving abilities. Difficult emotions can cloud judgment and hinder our ability to think logically and rationally. By acknowledging and processing these emotions, we can better assess a situation and make more informed choices.
How to handle difficult emotions like anger, sadness, and fear
1. Acknowledge and validate the emotions: It is important to recognize and acknowledge the difficult emotions you are feeling, rather than trying to suppress or ignore them. This can be done by simply acknowledging the emotions out loud to yourself or to someone else. Validating the emotions means recognizing that the emotions are valid and understandable given the situation. For example, if you are feeling angry, you can say to yourself, “I am feeling angry right now and it is understandable given what happened.”
2. Identify the underlying causes and triggers of the emotions: Once you have acknowledged and validated the emotions, it is important to try to understand the underlying causes and triggers of the emotions. This can help you to better manage the emotions and prevent them from overwhelming you. For example, if you are feeling angry, you may want to identify the specific event or situation that triggered the anger, such as a disagreement with someone or a frustrating situation.
3. Practice self-care and self-compassion: Taking care of yourself and being kind and compassionate towards yourself can help to reduce the intensity of difficult emotions. This can include activities such as getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising, and engaging in activities that you enjoy. It can also include practicing self-compassion, such as reminding yourself that you are not alone in experiencing difficult emotions and that everyone has their own struggles.
4. Use coping strategies to manage the emotions: There are many different coping strategies that can be used to manage difficult emotions, such as deep breathing, relaxation techniques, and positive self-talk. It is important to find the coping strategies that work best for you and to practice them regularly. For example, if you are feeling angry, you may want to try deep breathing or counting to 10 before responding to a situation.
5. Seek support from others: It can be helpful to seek support from others when dealing with difficult emotions. This can include talking to a trusted friend or family member, or seeking support from a mental health professional. Having someone to talk to and to help you process your emotions can make a big difference in how you feel and how you handle the emotions.
Top Tips
1. Recognize and acknowledge the difficult emotion. It is important to understand and identify what you are feeling in order to effectively manage it.
2. Take a step back and breathe. Take a moment to pause and take deep breaths to calm yourself before reacting to the emotion.
3. Practice mindfulness. Pay attention to the present moment and focus on your breath and body to ground yourself and manage the emotion.
4. Engage in self-care. Take care of your physical and emotional well-being by engaging in activities that bring you comfort and relaxation, such as exercise, meditation, or spending time in nature.
5. Express your feelings in a healthy way. It is important to find healthy outlets for your emotions, such as talking to a trusted friend or family member, writing in a journal, or engaging in art or music.
6. Seek professional help if needed. If you are unable to manage your emotions on your own, it may be helpful to seek the guidance of a therapist or counsellor.
7. Use positive self-talk. Practice positive self-talk and affirmations to challenge negative thoughts and beliefs that may be contributing to the difficult emotion.
8. Identify and change unhealthy thought patterns. Examine the thoughts and beliefs that may be driving the difficult emotion and work on changing them to more healthy and positive ones.
9. Practice gratitude and positivity. Focus on the good things in your life and practice gratitude to shift your mindset and manage difficult emotions.
10. Remember that emotions are temporary. Difficult emotions are a natural part of life, but they are not permanent. Remind yourself that they will pass and focus on taking care of yourself in the present moment.
If you found this article of interest, please share it with a young person in your family or community.
Full Series
Practical Life Lessons taught through Freemasonry
Learning and Development
A series of 10 learning and development articles, offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education.
Overall, the lessons taught by Freemasonry are designed to help young adults develop the character, skills, and knowledge needed to succeed in life. By following the principles of brotherhood, charity, and self-improvement, young open minded individuals can build a strong foundation for a fulfilling and meaningful life.
The topics covered in the series are:
Lesson 1. How to communicate effectively and assertively.
Lesson 2. How to manage your finances and budget your money.
Lesson 3. How to take care of your physical and mental health.
Lesson 4. How to build and maintain healthy relationships.
Lesson 5. How to handle difficult emotions like anger, sadness, and fear.
Lesson 6. How to set and achieve goals for your personal and professional life.
Lesson 7. How to be open-minded and embrace diversity and inclusion.
Lesson 8. How to be a responsible and respectful member of your community.
Lesson 9. How to be a good partner and parent, if and when you decide to have a family.
Lesson 10. How to be adaptable and resilient in the face of challenges and change.
more ...
 Practical Life Lessons taught through Freemasonry - P1 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 1; How to communicate effectively and assertively ? |
 Practical Life Lessons Taught Through Freemasonry - P2 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 2: How to manage your finances and budget your money? |
 Practical Life Lessons Taught Through Freemasonry - P3 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 3: How to take care of your physical and mental health |
 Practical Life Lessons taught through Freemasonry - P4 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 4: How to build and maintain healthy relationships |
 Practical Life Lessons taught through Freemasonry - P5 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 5: How to handle difficult emotions like anger, sadness, and fear |
 Practical Life Lessons taught through Freemasonry - P6 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 6: How to set and achieve goals for your personal and professional life |
 Practical Life Lessons taught through Freemasonry - P7 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 7: How to be open-minded and embrace diversity and inclusion for your personal and professional life |
 Practical Life Lessons taught through Freemasonry - P8 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 8: How to emerge as a responsible and respectful member of your community inyour personal and professional life |
 Practical Life Lessons taught through Freemasonry - P9 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 9: How to be a good partner and parent, if and when you decide to have a family. |
 Practical Life Lessons taught through Freemasonry - P10 A series of articles offering a guide to practical life lessons taught through Freemasonry for young adults setting out in life after full time education - Lesson 10. How to be adaptable and resilient in the face of challenges and change. |
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