Realities will Trump Emotions
By Shiva
@Shiva49 (26200)
Singapore
April 3, 2021 11:51am CST
We are emotional beings/creatures and that leads us to looking at reality though tinted glasses. Reality stares at us back with a vengeance and we will be forced to make up for the lost time.
Individually and at a wider level we pay for our emotional outbursts and responses. Wars are mostly due to emotions riding roughshod over calculated peace efforts. And politics is mostly much ado about nothing as basic issues cannot be wished away. They thumb their noses at us and we are left with no choice but to redouble our efforts and face them head-on.
At individual level, I try to have a cool head devoid of emotions to face the reality. At a wider level, I am helpless like when countries are at loggerheads. Scratch the surface most problems arise due to ego and selfishness of our leaders who cannot shed their political affiliations over common good of the majority of people.
How emotional are you when facing struggles inherent in life?
Image: Realities from free media site Pexels
15 people like this
15 responses
@arunima25 (85274)
• Bangalore, India
3 Apr 21
Basically I am very emotional person. But I have learnt my lessons hard way and now with age, experience and conscious effort, I have come a long way and am able to handle my emotions well.
5 people like this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
3 Apr 21
I have found women are more emotional especially when it comes to family issues.
I went through a few crises in personal and work life and I found emotions hinder cool response.
My father used to say - this is not the end of the world. I keep that in mind.
3 people like this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
4 Apr 21
@arunima25 He also told us to make up our own minds.
If we ask around, we are only going to get confused
We should know what is best for us, what suits our temperament.
2 people like this
@arunima25 (85274)
• Bangalore, India
4 Apr 21
@Shiva49 That's a beautiful and universal truth that your father says. Live goes on and we have to move on after each heartbreaks and heartaches.
3 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (86755)
• United States
3 Apr 21
I am denied emotion Shiva. It is not allowed in my life. I use my will and drive to survive only.
Bigger problems of the world, I have compassion for, but of course it is beyond me.
Yes it is US and THEM only now.
4 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (86755)
• United States
3 Apr 21
@Shiva49 Always, there will be the unfair and evil ones in life. We can overcome them by beating them at their own game and showing them no emotion.
3 people like this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
3 Apr 21
Looks like you have had a rough ride, Ocean Tiara.
Sometimes, they just pile up one after another.
Some experiences have made me stronger and dampened my emotions over time.
I feel most issues and problems are of our making only - there are those who don't play by the rules of decency and fair play.
3 people like this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
4 Apr 21
@RebeccasFarm My approach is to avoid them as far as possible.
3 people like this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
4 Apr 21
@porwest I like to remember: "If You're Going Through Hell, Keep Going" - Winston Churchill. According to me, heaven and hell are right here every moment.
Some think they are doomed in hell while they are in heaven in the eyes of another!
A poor man eats to his heart's content when he can while the super-rich tends to watch the calories all the time!
4 people like this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
4 Apr 21
@Shiva49 I have tried to change my outlook and attitude and outlook on things but nothing changes for the better.
Same here with accepting a lot because there is nothing else I can do after trying and trying.
I try my best to avoid at all costs too but some things and people are so persistent.
2 people like this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
4 Apr 21
@Shiva49 Right. I have met many people like that. My 29 year old daughter included.
I stay to myself other than talking with people like yourself online about such issues because of it.
I have almost totally withdrawn from the outside world. I hardly ever leave the house because I have such anxiety about people anymore these days. I have been done dirty by so many of them.
Even business people these days treat your crappy too. Hate talking to any of them on the phone also these days. So sick of it!!!!
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
4 Apr 21
@stephcjh I have faced intractable issues and some prove such a pain.
A few think others owe them a living and their presence dampens our spirit.
My approach is "thus far and no further, leave me alone please".
Life is a struggle for most and with age, it can increase in its intensity.
My approach is to withdraw from life ever so slowly.
2 people like this
I find that there are two kinds of expectations, some that disappoint and some that bring us much joy.
@jobelbojel (34729)
• Philippines
7 Apr 21
I always hear from people to not make decisions over our emotions. Not decide when we are happy or sad.
2 people like this
@jobelbojel (34729)
• Philippines
7 Apr 21
@Shiva49 exactly. We should have a sound decision always.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205716)
• Walnut Creek, California
7 Apr 21
It depends on the struggle. I allows myself to feel sad when I lose someone. We all go through stages of grieving. But I try not to be emotional when it comes to politics. If we accept that most politicians are not totally honest, and that we don't know everything, then we can engage the "scientific" parts of our minds and look at things (somewhat) objectively.
2 people like this
@innertalks (21024)
• Australia
8 Apr 21
Sometimes emotions drive us, though.
Otherwise, we can be pretty bland characters, cold, calculating, showing little affection for others.
For example, if it is my brother's birthday, today, my emotional pull towards him is to give him a call for his birthday, even though rationally, I might not want to do this, as he usually overtalks, and goes on for hours and hours.
If I had no emotions playing here, and was only coldly rational about it, I would never call him at all.
Emotions here, push me to do the "right" thing here then.
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
8 Apr 21
Agreed, we should not bottle up our emotions with a tight lid.
However, we need to look at certain aspects dispassionately like, as you rightly said, politics where we can be used as tools by wily leaders to serve their ends.
I look back at the struggles of my parents often and their efforts made our lives easier. There are always emotions at play and I want them to have their full play during such moments.
2 people like this
@DianneN (246748)
• United States
3 Apr 21
I wish I could be more like you. When it comes to politics, I get very emotional and often angered and upset. I feel helpless. However, I must admit that I feel a lot better having elected our new President.
Wars are pathetic. They scare me.
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
4 Apr 21
I would say wars are the first resort of the egotistic, evil, greedy, supposed leaders.
They engage in brinkmanship, who blinks first, approach to gain brownie points.
The common folks are the same everywhere, want to live in peace, and not interested in shoving their ideology on another.
I get emotional at the hypocrisy rampant everywhere but I go by Serenity prayer :
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference."
2 people like this
@innertalks (21024)
• Australia
4 Apr 21
I find that our emotional response to an emotion can either kill us, or help us.
If we have an ongoing, unresolved situation, emotions can keep arising in us continually, every time that we think of this situation, and still do not know how to resolve it.
Emotions will always arise, but our emotional response to the emotion, can either double it, or quieten it down.
We do not want to ever allow emotions to circulate/escalate out of control, in our lives.
We should notice their presence, acknowledge their reality, and then try our best to move on, and then either find a solution, or work with ourselves, to try to allow ourselves to better accept that which we cannot change.
@innertalks (21024)
• Australia
5 Apr 21
@Shiva49 Yes, banging your head against other people's rules is certainly a recipe for a large headache.
We want a situation resolved, but the bureaucrats make a mountain out of a molehill at all times, and pedantically then make you climb it too, and get to the top, before they then let you down, by presenting you with still yet another mountain of paperwork to climb then too, and then one more.
It was a nightmare to get my father-in-law home, but eventually, we got him on a mercy flight out of Melbourne, directly to the Philippines, but at a premium price, of course, and 14 days quarantine for him after he arrived there, at our expense, in an approved Hotel, of course too. He is back in his house now, feeling relieved too, I think, now too.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
5 Apr 21
@innertalks This pandemic is one of a kind indeed and tests our wits no end.
The previous ones came and departed soon but this one seems to stay testing our patience.
Good that you managed to get your father-in-law back home but it has been a testing time for all and expensive too.
We have to go back as it has been more than a year but the hassles are real and rules change without prior notice keeping us on tenterhooks. And the testing is also not foolproof.
This virus seems like a multi-headed hydra. The quality of life has been severely impacted for sure.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
4 Apr 21
Yes, Steve, issues that are unresolved can eat into our innards relentlessly.
Like now, I want to return to Singapore but there are hassles to overcome. It was just popping into a plane earlier but now resonates with "if you are going through hell, keep going". We are greeted at the door of the plane like it is an ICU with air stewards in space suits!
That we are all on the same boat is little consolation, like in our stay here, each day inching towards the exit door!
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