About Emotions

Emotions are neither good nor bad.
They are signals that the brain uses to show that something matters.

For example:

• fear can signal danger and the need for caution

• anxiety can signal uncertainty and the need for clarity

• anger can signal that your boundaries have been crossed

• sadness can signal loss and the need for recovery

Emotion is an informational signal, not an enemy.
The task is to understand the emotion rather than fight it.
Understanding creates clarity and control.

How Emotion Works

First comes an automatic thought.
Then comes the emotional reaction.
Then your behavior follows the emotion.

If you want to change your emotional state, you need to change the thinking behind it.

🔧 What to Do

1) Identify the emotion: “What exactly am I feeling right now?”

Give the feeling a clear name, such as:

• anxiety

• irritation

• fatigue

• guilt

• shame

• helplessness

Naming the emotion already lowers its intensity.

2) Clarify the cause: “What is this a reaction to?”

Emotions do not appear out of nowhere.
They are reactions to something meaningful:

• a situation

• a thought

• an expectation

• an internal rule

• a fear

Write down:
“I feel ___ because I think that ___.”

3) Check the interpretation: “Is this true?”

Many emotions come from distorted thinking.

Ask yourself:

• Is there evidence for this

• Could I be mistaken

• What am I not taking into account

• What other explanations are possible

This approach often reduces anxiety and anger.

4) Switch to action

You need a simple plan for how to respond.

Do not stay in thinking mode.
Move into doing mode.

Choose:

• a small action

• a clear step

• something within your control

Emotions prepare the body for action.
When there is no action, emotional energy remains inside, and the brain intensifies the feeling in order to push you toward activity.

This is why anxiety, anger, guilt, and confusion grow when a person:

• overthinks

• ruminates

• postpones decisions

• waits for the emotion to fade

• avoids the situation

Action shifts attention, reduces the inner dialogue, and activates the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for conscious thinking.
This brings you back into a rational state.

During action:

• breathing slows down

• stress hormones decrease

• a sense of control appears

• the body leaves the freeze response

This is biology working, not psychology.

Find one small action.
Not something big.
Not something perfect.
Not a complete solution.

Just one step that takes a few minutes.

Examples of Small Actions

Anxiety

Meaning: uncertainty or lack of information
You can:

• ask one clarifying question

• collect one fact

• make a list of what you can control

Fear

Meaning: possible danger
You can:

• check the real level of threat

• prepare a simple plan of what to do if the situation continues

Anger

Meaning: your boundaries were crossed
You can:

• state your boundary calmly in one sentence

• take a short pause if needed

Guilt

Meaning: you did not follow your own rule
You can:

• send one message with an apology

• correct what you can correct right now

Panic

You can:

• make a list of tasks in front of you

Uncertainty

You can:

• gather one fact

Worry

You can:

• open the document and write one simple line

Confusion

Meaning: the brain needs structure
You can:

• write down three possible solutions

• choose one small step

Self doubt or self devaluation

Meaning: distorted thoughts
You can:

• write down three facts about what you are doing well

• take one small productive action

Shame

Meaning: fear of judgment
You can:

• write down what the exact threat is

• separate facts from imagination

Then take action without thinking too much.

📌 Examples of Turning Emotion Into Action

Anxiety

Avoid: sitting, thinking, spiraling
Do: write down questions and get one fact

Anger

Avoid: boiling inside or shouting
Do: say “This does not work for me. Let us discuss it.”

Confusion

Avoid: searching for the perfect option
Do: pick one small step and do it

Sadness

Avoid: lying with your phone
Do: go outside for fifteen minutes or call someone close

Feeling that everything is bad

Avoid: analyzing the cause
Do: clean the table, take a shower, or reply to one message

You cannot work through emotions by thinking about them.
You can work through emotions only by taking action.
Small actions are often the best solution.

Emotions also involve the body, so light movement helps.
Try walking, stretching, push ups, sit ups, or a short workout.