The Power of One More

5One More Emotion

Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.

—Sigmund Freud

LOVE AND HATE. JOY AND SORROW. PEACE AND ANGER. BLISS AND RAGE.

Why are emotions so important to understand? How do we use them to gain some measure of control in our lives? Because our lives are directly linked to the quality of our emotions.

Show me somebody who experiences bliss, joy, love, peace, and passion on a regular basis, and I'll show you someone leading an incredible life. Show me somebody who's dominated by hate, sorrow, depression, anger, and anxiety and I'll show you someone who is not leading a great life.

It's not the caliber of these people's homes, cars, or other material possessions that determines the quality of their lives. It's the quality of their emotions. You have an emotional home that you live in. How you fill this home with the emotions you choose is the reality of your life, more than anything else.

All of us experience five or six consistent emotions in this home every day. And no matter what your life conditions are, you will find a way to get those emotions. Every one of us is conditioned to return to our emotional homes, even if those emotions don't serve us well.

Have you ever noticed that no matter what's going on in your life, you always seem to find these same half‐dozen emotions? For example, you may seek out worry, insecurity, fear, and anxiety, not necessarily because you want to. You do it because these ...