5 Destructive Emotions That Block Your Growth And Success
Some emotions can block your growth and success
Let’s start by saying this. There are no emotions that you should feel guilty about. We’re all human beings with a variety of life experiences. We have a variety of reactions to the things that happen in our lives. Sometimes, the things that we feel are negative, ugly, and not very easy to deal with. However, as long as we deal with these destructive emotions in a healthy way, and move past them quickly, there is rarely a problem. Unfortunately, not all of us can do that.
For example, you may find that you experience one particular form of negative emotion over and over again in a variety of situations. You may also find that a single event has left you emotionally stuck. Unable to let go of particular emotions. Either one of these situations can be devastating for you, your emotional growth, and even your relationships with others. Here are some negative emotions that can leave you stunted, if you don’t get them under control.
1. Hopelessness
Hopelessness is a dangerous state and can one of a few destructive emotions. It is literally you feeling as if nothing has a chance of getting better no matter what. When you feel helpless, you feel powerless to change or improve your situation. Feeling continually hopeless can be a sign of depression or unresolved trauma. It may also indicate that you lack belief in yourself. If you find that hopelessness is a common or ongoing theme in your life you may wish to consider talking to a professional.
2. Jealousy
Nearly everybody feels the occasional pang of jealousy. Whether it’s somebody obtaining an item you’ve been coveting, or reaching a shared goal before you do, it is perfectly normal to want something that another person has. In fact, if you keep it perspective, jealousy can be a bit motivating. However, if jealousy morphs into bitterness, or if it seems as if you are simply never satisfied with what you have, there may be a problem. Try focusing on your blessings, or doing a bit of self-exploration to determine why you are chronically unsatisfied.
3. Guilt
If you’ve done something wrong, and have done nothing to fix it, guilt is an absolutely appropriate emotion. On the other hand, if you’ve done nothing wrong, or you have done everything you can to make amends, feelings of guilt are unhealthy and unnecessary. If you struggle with feelings of guilt, ask yourself if the issue is that you feel unduly responsible for other people. Or if you feel undeserving of happiness. Your answers to these questions may give you a few things to work on.
4. Fear
Fear is an emotion that causes you to become paralyzed. When you are paralyzed, you stop making progress. Sure, fear is a great response to danger. But when the only danger is growth and change, it is time to focus on finding coping skills. It is these skills that will help you get past the fears that are holding you back. One thing that you can do is use meditation and visualization as a way to explore, cope with, and overcome your fears. You don’t necessarily need to go through any complex steps. Simply walking yourself through whatever it is that you are fearing, may just be enough to help you to get past your fear. Meditation can also help you put fear into perspective by centring you and allowing you to find inner peace by learning to find inspiration in simple things.
5. Hatred
Hatred is such a destructive emotion. This is because it causes you to become emotionally invested in a person that has done wrong to you. When you feel hatred, you have essentially given a bad person permission to continue to infiltrate your thoughts and impact your daily life. What a horrible way to live. Remember that letting go of hatred isn’t giving permission for somebody to hurt you. In fact, it is taking away their power to do just that.
All of these potentially destructive emotions have the possibility of doing damage in your life. If you don’t find ways to let them go or work through them, you risk becoming emotionally stunted, difficult to get along with, and bitter. Fortunately, with a bit of introspection and hard work, you can get these feelings under control and learn to function in a more positive manner.
Benedict Brychta – MBA student from San Jose, CA. He is a big movie classics fan and love to share his opinion on different thing happening in the spheres of the film industry, marketing and lifestyle. You can contact Ben via Twitter
Understanding emotions, their sources, how to name them, and deal with them are very important. Emotions can block progress but they can also help people move forward. For example anxiety can be debilitating or it can be facilitating.
Fear can paralyze but it can also catalyze, paralysis or catalyst. What so many people seem not to be able to do is to put a handle on an emotion such that they can choose how to respond. It may be a conditioned response that needs to be stopped and instead of reinforcing by repeating same thing over and over, find a way to break the cycle and interrupt the all too familiar pattern of destructive behaviors. That could mean getting help from an outside source or just deciding that there has to be a different and better way and finding it. Easier said than done but worth considering.