From the author: Fear of your emotions is just an epidemic of the last decades, or maybe centuries? I don’t know. Many people have a call and an internal goal to control emotions. Control means not letting them go? Or making sure that they, emotions, will be safe, that I will remain unharmed, that the world will not collapse? I tried to describe the process of “friendship” "with emotions in a visual mechanism. Someone is constantly being bullied from the outside: hold back your emotions, think about what you are doing, you don’t control yourself, you take everything too close to your heart. Someone himself has already learned to be simply afraid of his own emotions: it seems to me that if I start crying , then I won’t be able to stop, anger seems to darken my eyes, I can say different things, do things that I later regret, I get so upset over trifles that then I’m out of action for the whole day, when I’m inspired, I don’t seem to understand anything, I get involved in adventures, then sobriety seems to come - how could I do such a thing? The question of how to control our emotions is faced by many of us. We are afraid of actions done under the influence of emotions, not reason. They are not thought out, the consequences are not clear, and, therefore, they can be dangerous. And if an emotion that is dangerous for us appears, we just want to get rid of it. But the reality is that once an experience has been born within, it is impossible to turn back time. You can hide it from others, you can shove it deeper so that you can’t see it, you can switch to the positive or being busy with things - but you won’t be able to make everything disappear from my soul without a trace. And then a seemingly rational decision comes. I am the master of my own fortunes. I will subdue them. I'll make sure they don't get in the way. Hide, get distracted, switch and not notice. We imprison our emotions in slavery, indicating that we are the masters here. What will slaves, prisoners or anyone else doing something against their will do? Trying to rebel to free yourself is the easiest option. Some of them receive such a dose of indignation that they will try to take over their former owners. And while there are not so many emotions, we manage to control them. But when the reservoir is full, when the number of repressed experiences crosses a certain threshold, they begin to have more power than could have been imagined. Individually they were weak. Together they are strength. My favorite metaphor compares the process of being overwhelmed with experiences to a glass of vodka poured “heaped up.” The glass is full, the liquid forms a hemisphere on top, you can even take it and bring it to your lips. But if you shake it a little or add even one extra drop, then not only the part that was above the glass will spill out, but much more. The same thing happens with our emotions. As long as our internal reservoir is able to accommodate them, everything seems to be fine. But as soon as it overflows, it is impossible to control the avalanche. And then the moment comes in which decisions, words, actions are made not by a person, but by his emotions. What to do to prevent such “attacks”? Maybe we should try to make friends, cooperate, and make sure that there is no war inside? And at the same time, so that people around do not ricochet? After all, lava can pour out on someone who is completely innocent. If an emotion has already been born, then its only task is to be lived. Yes, for us it may not always be pleasant, but we really want peace and tranquility inside, right? It’s scary to experience feelings that threaten to destroy the person himself, the people around him, or the world as a whole. But just because they are scary, their task does not change. And until you give them the opportunity to manifest themselves into the world, they won’t let you go. The first step, which, oddly enough, often allows you to avoid the next steps, is to simply recognize and allow yourself to feel what is already inside. Do not run, do not hide, do not put pressure, do not control to the point of destruction - but see and give the opportunity to be. This works as a sign of reconciliation and interaction in the book of the jungle. Remember? "You and I - we are of the same blood" Next, most likely, will be.