How to Release Past Emotions

For better or worse, emotions nearly always have a huge effect on one's well-being. Positive emotions can help you through the most trying experiences of your life, while negative emotions have been known to all but destroy a person. With that being said, many people have been taught to avoid negative emotions or to deny them outright. They are told to think positively, as if sadness, anger, shame, and guilt will just go away if people ignore them. This couldn't be farther from the truth. These emotions fester into something truly poisonous if they are held inside for too long. They need to be released, and these tips will help you do exactly that.

Instructions

• 1

  Remember that your emotions cannot be controlled. Some people believe that they have control over their emotions, but what they have is control over their emotional responses. They may be good at not showing how upset they are, but that doesn't change the fact that they are upset. If you feel sad or angry, just remember that you cannot help feeling that way, and that there is nothing wrong with you. Instead of spending so much energy on attempting to control your feelings, accept that you cannot control them. It's a much healthier way to think and live.

• 2

  Embrace your emotions, even the ones that hurt. This goes hand-in-hand with accepting that emotions cannot be controlled. If you feel upset, acknowledge that you are upset. Nobody likes to feel angry or scared, but the truth is that a lot of energy can be drawn from such feelings. They do not need to be as corrosive as they can be. In fact, they frequently give people the drive they need to act and make the best of the worst situations.

• 3

  Release negative emotions through physical means. This can be a slippery slope as many horrible things have been done out of anger, but a healthy physical response to a negative emotion can help release its hold over you. Going into an empty room and screaming, hitting pillows or just engaging in physical exercise can be a good way to release anger and fear. Nobody gets hurt, and the negative feeling won't be there to grow into something unbearable.

• 4

  Release emotions through creative expression. Many people have poured their emotions into some kind of creative work. They write stories, play music, or draw pictures. Some of the greatest works of art ever created have come from strong emotions, but you don't need to create a masterpiece to use creativity to express your feelings. The act itself is enough. Write a story or draw a picture, even if nobody but you will see it. You are guaranteed to feel better about yourself when you are finished.