For a long time, feelings have been looked upon as a source, if not The source of all our difficulties as human beings. The idea that reason and rationality need to take control of emotion in order for us to avoid some kind of descent into chaos takes us back to the ancient Greek. They pictured emotions as wild horses that needed taming by the intellect.

The way I teach it in Mind Mood Mastery is that emotions are “important friends with important messages”. This is now backed up by science which has shown us that so-called rational decisions are actually primarily driven by our feelings. We know this from looking at what is actually happening in the brain, something we can now do thanks to functional MRI scanners.

Just think of the frenzy and excitement or panic that floods the floor of the stock exchange when shares or currencies tumble. Decisions are made in the heat of the moment and appraisal of ‘facts’ is hugely biased by how brokers feel. This is, in turn largely dependent on the mood of those around them – feelings are highly contagious, as you might have noticed!

And where would we be without our passion, our ability to be moved, touched and inspired? Is it not the case that most of our major life choices are based on our feelings? Take a look in your own life. Personally, I can see that pivot points in my life have revolved around love,the lack of it, my feelings for my family, and by the things I feel passionate about.

Perhaps it’s more a case of dragging emotions off the back seat, allowing ourselves to feel what we feel, in the moment, practising acceptance of what is. Then we can notice what interpretation our thoughts habitually add to any particular feeling. Notice how we make some feelings good and others bad. It’s our thoughts that did that!

I believe that this is where the trouble starts, not with the feeling as such but with what we make them mean. We add false meaning based on our biased perceptions of self and others, and that’s when feelings are seen as troublesome. But it’s not the feeling that’s the problem. It’s the thoughts they trigger, such as the ones that tell us we shouldn’t be having this feeling or don’t want it. It’s the interpretation we add to it that wreaks havoc. And this thought pattern or interpretation is usually habit-driven, based on past events and patterns that established themselves way back.

Let’s celebrate our ability to feel. That is something that no robot can ever do. It’s what makes us human. Feeling sadness, for instance, islike rain on a dusty street. It can settle the soul, keep us humble, remind us of our blessings.

So yes, gain mastery of your thoughts and don’t demonise emotion. Be grateful that as humans, emotions are what drive us, keep us together, help us bond, create new life and so much more. Otherwise why would we go to the movies, if it wasn’t because we wanted to be moved!