Responsibility for our Emotions

"That guy really makes me angry". Sound familiar? Most people think so. I've been in too many situations where I felt that some one was making me angry, happy, sad, etc. The truth is, while people can do things we don't like, no one can make us feel anything. That's up to us.

About a year ago, if someone asked how I feel, I would have told them all about the feelings I didn't want to have and then go into massive details about how other people and situations were making me feel that way. I really had to listen carefully to what I was saying to hear it. When we have a philosophy that our emotions are somewhat dependent on outside influences, we use all kinds of words in our speech that accelerate the negative energy we feel.

Take this sentence as an example, "I really should start to work out more. I'm in such bad shape and I really want feel better about myself".

This is something people say to themselves or a close friend. Look at it again with the negative parts highlighted:

"I really should start to work out more. I'm in such bad shape and I really want feel better about myself".

The words in red are the ones that stand out and make this such a self-defeating sentence. I found that by doing instead of thinking, then radiating the feeling that comes from it, the sentence become something quite different.

"I've been working out more and I feel great!"

Law of Attraction savvy people will use affirmation statements to counter the bad vibes:

"I love my job"

"Thank God I'm Rich"

and so forth.

Next time you're out somewhere, think about the language that comes into your head when the guy in front of you cuts you off, or when you say paper and get plastic, or just when looking at the people next to you. Little shifts in the way we think could bring about big changes inside ourselves. "That guy must really be in a hurry" or "She must have thought I said plastic" could mean the difference between positive, affirming emotional radiation or the attraction of more of what you don't like.

What's working for me (present tense, I'm still exploring this) is at work. People around me have a lot of complexity to think about and little time to do it in. As a result, people tend to come off short tempered and can appear sometimes rude. Here's the big revelation with this one. Your workmates, bosses and colleges are not responsible for how you feel! You are.

That's what I've been saying to myself. My feelings are my responsibility and no one can take that away from me. By holding on to that, I've found that any distemper from the people around me is short lived, and I'm in a much clearer head to deal with the problem at hand. Also, others are starting to pick up on it and are beginning to see the same things as me. That everyone has the basic desire to work together as a team.

I read in another blog that we can't control other people, but we can influence their vibrations all the same. I have a hard time believing anyone wants to feel bad, therefore the positive vibrations we radiate can influence others around us weather we have a physical encounter with them or not.