🌱 エミたん 🌱 · @_emitan_
8th Jan 2017 from TwitLonger
Bad Habits
Yesterday I talked about how all emotions are ritualized. However, I realized I mainly touched on how to we can teach ourselves healthier qualities rather than how to prevent the uglier masks we take on from overcoming us. Sometimes we feel insecure or angry, and we know so deep in our hearts we'd not want anything more than to bring those feelings to a halt... But in the moment it just becomes so hard to figure out where to even start.
I believe the first step is to remember that like patience and courage, harmful emotions are also practiced. Every time we allow them to control our decisions, the neural paths in our brains further bond. The great thing about being human, though, is that we're splendidly forgetful. We can unlearn unwanted habits, just as we can become rusty in past skills.
You have to constantly remind yourself of who you don't want to become, who is the "you" you would rather be. No one wants to be petty, no one enjoys feeling jealous. Trust me, I've been through cycles of hate and anxiety and, well, they all feel straight up terrible. And if I continued to allow myself to follow that negative train of thought, that infinite downward spiral, I would further become someone I despise and would never be able to win. But the thing is, I don't need those feelings to define me. And you don't need to live with them yourself either.
Step two is to realize and accept that... it's really difficult. You won't always succeed at preventing your emotions from getting the better of you. Sometimes we just let them win. And hey, that's okay. We're only human. It doesn't make you less worthy, it doesn't make you weak. It doesn't mean you don't deserve to grow. It's alright to forgive yourself. Change is no easy task for anyone, so there's no reason to feel guilty where you fall.
Becoming the best version of "you" is not a destination, it'll always be a work in progress. Embrace that vulnerability and understand, these emotions, and any mistakes you've made, they aren't who you are. Pick yourself up and go out, find the lesson, and teach yourself from your own experiences. That's the beautiful part of life, there will always be something to learn from.