State Facts for What They Are, NOT How They Feel

We are emotional creatures. This is without doubt.

Feelings are an integral part of our makeup, very much the same way the fragrance is an inextricable part of a flower, being a part of the whole, but otherwise indistinguishable.

I write this on a personal level. Writing is more a therapy for me than anyone kind enough to read this but undoubtedly, we share similar experiences with our own selves and our emotional experiences, albeit our reactions, definitions and emotional intelligence are at varied levels.

It is inescapable, but perhaps escape is not really what we need.

Use Your Emotions, Not the Other Way Around

We are very much invested in every part of our lives, be it professional or personal. The inevitable outcome of this is that while we may start out with a logical approach, we tend to get lulled into various emotional states during the day, completely unaware of it.

The result of it is that we then judge every situation, statistic, experience and encounter, with emotional eyes. What is, suddenly turns into an adjective i.e., good, bad, sweet, sour, pleasant, unpleasant and so on.

Dropping an emotional weight unto our shoulders which is certainly an unwelcomed and actually an unforced burden.

This is where our awareness, emotional intelligence and our mental resolve is invaluable in helping us to step outside of ourselves to recognize what is happening within us so that we may respond in a way that allows us to make a choice, for are we not just an accumulation of our choices?

We must choose. More than this, we must protect and defend our power of choice.

Is it not the timeless old adage, coming through centuries and eons of human experience and prophetic vision that give us the ultimate wisdom:

Use it or lose it?

Facts Give Us a True Guide

Dealing in facts seems cold, calculated, devious and just plain bland.

See what I did there?

It is ironic though that while I write about facts, I have used words that are emotionally charged, and that too, just plain negative.

It seems I cannot help myself.

However, the facts are, that facts just exist. It is our emotional filter that automatically kicks in, so we involuntarily define every fact with either a positive bias or a negative bias, most likely depending on where we are emotionally at that point in time or even more probably as a result of our existing life situation.

What an injustice we do to ourselves.

Life happens. To us all. None of us is immune to the waves of situations and circumstances thrust upon us on a daily basis.

Much of it is rooted in fact. Decisions can be made upon facts and truths of what we face, in order to forge a way forward and onwards to a better tomorrow, without the handicap of an unrequired emotional bias.

I don’t suggest that this applies to every situation of course. Certain times, it is just a matter of the heart and must be approached as such. This is usually where our emotional instincts just take over. This too is just a fact.

But What About Dreams & Ambitions that Cannot Be Grounded in Fact?

Is it a fact that you could be an astronaut? Sure.

Is it likely? Maybe not….

Is it a problem? Only if I decide it is…

This is what I believe separates us from the animals, in that we are blessed with the power of choice.

See what I did there again? This time I am applying a positive bias. However, this is by choice. I am trying to look at the bright side.

We have to use our power of choice, however much elusive it may seem, to use our emotions in a way that serves us.

Positivity i.e., Positive choices create.

Negativity i.e., Negative choices destroy.

If we did not have ambitions, dreams, aspirations, hopes, what would be the worth of this life? Life is meant for living after all. Life is certainly not meant to be a careful tread towards death.

Dream like there is no tomorrow. This is our privilege.

With great power comes great responsibility, right? This privilege then also obliges us to use our power of choice responsibly.

Do your best. Be your best. As You. That’s all.

Use Emotions as Tools and Don’t be a Tool Yourself

Enough Said.

Don’t Do it Alone

Part of choosing is also making the choice to seek help, or just some familial or friendly support.

This is perhaps the most important choice of all.

Choose to know (fact) and feel (emotion) that we are not alone. Seek a second opinion, advice, a sounding board and of course, a shoulder to cry on.

Make the correct emotional choice for yourself. This too is a privilege.

Conclusion

We have to don the robe of humility and recognize that while we outwardly seem to be the creators of our reality, we are really just a cog in a very large wheel.

A wheel which is neither our creation nor our slave. Rather, our co-creative partner.

Respect it, Use it. Align yourself with it. Co-Create in complete synchronization with it.

How?

Positivity creates and negativity destroys, remember?

It would be foolish of us to think that our journey through life is just made up of situations that come before us to destroy us, trip us up and bring all things to a cataclysmic end. I am as guilty of this as anyone else. I could possibly even be the world champion….

Life does end, when we die. However, dying every day in our minds and hearts i.e., in accepting defeat, in an attitude of hopelessness is actually a choice we make too often. This needs to change.

For this, let us rely on facts for what they are. Situations may be heavily emotionally charged, but we have the power of choice (no matter how difficult), and we must choose wisely, factually and emotionally.