Grappling with Emotions

 

Understanding emotions both self and of others is the gateway to deal with stress.

This magnanimous thought to heal the world & self from stress led me to read about emotions. To my utmost surprise, there are emotions beyond SAD, MAD, GLAD and BAD. The jury is still out on a final number be it basic, core, discrete or positive. Often quoted numbers are 4,12, 13, 27 and a few multiples here and there. Its quite possible that the number varies by language, gender, age and so on.

Emotions, moods and feelings are different yet connected. “Feelings” are the most seen tags on social media. Extensive research has indicated that humans are capable of 34,000 unique feelings. Whether this research was gender specific is unknown.

Humbled by our emotional prowess, I continued my mission to alleviate stress. There are 3 research samples in my “locked down” home. I excluded the minors to avoid any run-in’s with the law. That reduced sample size to a delicate number 1.

Emotional labeling or identifying and expressing with words is a powerful skill towards alleviating or amplifying them. I approach subject 1, armed with a vocabulary of emotions and a few pictures of colorful spirals spinning from basic to advanced emotions.

Subject 1 is a person of few words. So his responses to all my research attempts came in pictures. Pictures in all shapes, sizes and colors. Unlike emotions that evolve over a long period of time within the limbic system in our brain, these pictures can be instantly created by just about anybody. So as usual subject 1 throws me off balance.

While emotional labeling is a proven concept to deal with the same mindfully, these pictures or emojis cause more turmoil. There are no limitations on quantity, appropriateness, intent, interpretations or misinterpretations. The website https://emojipedia.org/ tries to bring in some uniformity and even has a few to be adopted.

Emojis bring in a rich vocabulary but has wide gaps between intent and interpretation. 

While my intent is to alleviate world stress, dealing with emoji's shatters peace.

I express this feeling on social media and subject 1 replies with an emoji.😇.

If Not Me.. Then Who ?

" If Not Me... then who ?"  a quote accredited to War veteran Travis Manion.

 Its simple yet loaded question.

I have always hated the notion of "damsel in distress". I visualize this as someone wailing and waiting to be rescued. And in my mind, that is not who I am.

Reading this quote was like holding up a mirror. 

I am embarrassed to admit that in many instances this is what I have done. Waiting for someone or something to conjure up solutions as I play the role of a passive passer-by. 

So here is a pertinent call to action.

If not me, then who ?

Its a thought I want to pursue

Opinions backed with actions add value

Else those are distractions just fallow

Needs and wants are good to express

Without action its a regress

Intent with content

leads to transcend.

 

The Great Perhaps

 

The Great Perhaps…. The last words of a 15^th century French poet Francois Rabelais and  brought to life again through the book Looking for Alaska and character Miles.

This word caught my attention this week.

Perhaps is the alternate path or option which exists but the outcome is unknown. Its either a path that is not travelled or left mid way through or not fully explored.

We are a product of our choices, some consciously taken and some not. Various biases, ethos and many others condition our choices. Choices exist everytime. Sometimes it presents itself clearly as a decision and sometimes we have to seek them.

Perhaps is dramatic and utterly hopeless at the same time. Its full of promise yet hollow.

Perhaps can never be avoided. Our purpose is to reduce the great perhaps.