A colleague lost it the other day. I'm actually grateful they did.
Frustration boiled over. The whole nine yards.
It caught me off guard. But I sat in the energy for a minute.
Truth is, I get it.
Another friend just lost great people to layoffs.
Deals falling through. Promises broken.
Uncertainty everywhere.
Our emotions are running hot right now. All of us.
Here's what I've learned after years of pretending I didn't have them:
When I'm angry → I get productive
When I'm fearful → I get motivated
When I'm happy → I get creative
When I'm down → I slow down (and that's okay)
Most of us fight our emotions like they're the enemy.
We try to "manage" them.
"Control" them.
"Master" them.
What if we just used them instead?
That anger? It's energy. Channel it into action.
That fear? It's focus. Point it at what matters.
That sadness? It's wisdom. Let it teach you what needs changing.
I'm not talking about emotional mastery.
I'm talking about emotional honesty.
Stop fighting what you feel. Start using what you've got.
Your emotions aren't the problem.
Pretending you don't have them is.
Use what you've got,
Jeff
P.S. What emotion are you trying to suppress right now? What would happen if you channeled it instead?