It happens sometime during the day. We encounter a surprise circumstance/ sometimes more than one.  The situation  arouses fear or discomfort.  From there we are thrown from our zone of well-being. 

We can experience emotions of fear, irritation, anxiety.  They feel like little shock waves.  We may not be aware of the importance of these emotions and we may magnify the importance of the irritation, fear, anxiety. 

I can come home from a lovely drive with my husband, stop by the mailbox, look forward to continuing the moment.  Then I make the mistake of opening the mail to find a $468 unexpected bill from a diagnostic test taken months ago.  The tests showed nothing.  But, after insurance,  we now owe $300 for the test and $168 for the doctor’s visit.  It is not the bill as much as the surprise.  –Another responsibility to meet!

Learning to read emotional messages can make the difference in staying our happy course.  The little mail surprise might not sound like a big deal.  Yet, I feel irritated.  I feel fearful of future unexpected financial obligations. 

When you learn to read emotional messages, you can bounce back from any negative situation. You realize it is you who are placing the negative label to any situation.  I unconsciously opened  the mail.  I chose to take the tests. The medical bill was now here.  I now had a choice to respond to my surprise situation. 

Here were my choices:

• I could fret and hold a forced discussion with my husband:  our medical expenses are out of control!  I could ruin a perfectly good day. 
• I could put the bill in the drawer and deal with it later. So what if I secretly was irritated.  I would hide it and probably find myself in a funk shortly. It can’t be helped!
  
• OR. 
• Or, I could remember that negative emotions are STOP SIGNS, TURN AROUND SIGNS.  I could remember that they tell me to turn my thoughts about the bill into new thoughts.  Change my way of thinking until I feel better.  When I feel better, I know I am heading in the direction that is ultimately satisfying for me.
  

So, without giving it another thought, I find my laptop  and pay my bill.  I pay it and I feel better.  I think of the payment as an investment in the medical support I may need in the future.  I appreciate the ease of paying my bill online.  I appreciate having the funds to pay.  I am now in a state of gratitude.  I breathe with appreciation as I glance around and see my true situation.  I have returned.  I am in contact with the core of my being-ness and I am in the quiet, peaceful state of happiness.

You might say, what if you don’t have the money to pay?  This also is a situation.  And, if you feel negative feelings about not having the money to pay, then STOP, TURN AROUND, Turn your thoughts to new thoughts that feel better.  Your emotions can change from irritation to acceptance, hope, as you face your situation.

There is much more to emotional messages.  This article is written to spark questions within you.  Happiness cannot co-exist with negative emotions.  Become aware of the negative feelings within you, .Stop the direction you are heading, whether it is an argument, a tantrum, a sulking state, you can live the happy life.

If you liked this article and would like to read more, please comment, share or like.  If you really like this article, please support me by purchasing the book, “GETTING TO HAPPY: Learning to Read Emotional Messages”.  Thank you!