Anger often gets a bad rap. We’re told to suppress it, control it, “get over it”. But anger isn’t usually the real problem, it’s merely a symptom of a deeper, more vulnerable emotion – a reaction to a trigger. For many, anger becomes a shield against painful feelings we’d rather not face. Fear, shame, guilt,...
Have you ever felt stuck in a rut, unsure of how to move forward despite your best efforts? For many people, this sense of stagnation can be incredibly frustrating, and, if not addressed, over time, can transform into something more volatile. You may feel powerless to influence your circumstances, disappointed in your perceived lack of...
Anger is a universal emotion, often sparked when we feel disrespected, unheard, repeatedly overlooked or unjustly treated. It’s a normal human response in situations where we feel powerless, and in these instances, anger can feel like the only way to reclaim some sense of control; however, while it might feel justified, it can quickly become...
Contempt. It’s not often that we hear or use the word, is it? And yet it’s one of the seven basic emotions identified by Dr. Paul Ekman, which means it must come up on a fair few occasions during our lives. Possibly because it’s often accompanied by another more prominent emotion, like anger, we don’t recognise...
* surprise | [ ser-prahyz, suh- ] Surprise is one of the seven basic emotions identified by Dr. Paul Ekman, arising when we encounter the unexpected. Lasting only a few seconds before we decide whether the unexpected is good or bad and move onto another feeling, it is the briefest of the basic emotions. Its...
Disgust is one of the seven basic emotions identified by Dr. Paul Ekman and the one that generally receives the least attention of the lot. It arises as a feeling of revulsion towards something offensive, perceived either with our physical senses or by the actions of people, and even by ideas. It can range from...
Let’s talk about fear – one basic emotion of seven identified by psychologist Dr. Paul Ekman. At times just a modest jolt that gets your blood pumping and at other times a debilitating thunderbolt that freezes every muscle in your body. Fear is an ‘emotional response to an immediate threat, real or imagined’ and although...
We’ve all felt sad at some point; it’s a part of the ups and downs of life. It’s a natural reaction to being upset or in pain, and like every emotion, it’s temporary, often fading once a situation is resolved or we’ve come to terms with what has upset us. Sadness is one basic emotion...
This month we’re focusing on another basic emotion of the seven identified by psychologist Dr. Paul Ekman… HAPPINESS. Happiness is a great emotion; it’s by far the easiest to deal with. And the best way to experience it is to let it flow through you and enjoy the moment. On an emotional level, we can...
It’s hard dealing with difficult emotions. No-one likes, what society deems, the negative kind. And sometimes we can actually experience physical manifestations of what we’re feeling inside. But if we acknowledge what we are feeling instead of closing our eyes and wishing the ride were over, we might find that the emotion is just the...
