I was sitting down and was wondering why we are built with the capacity to feel. What are these emotions and what is the purpose of these emotions? As it turns out, emotions tell us how to act. Just as pain tells us that something is wrong with our bodies, emotions tell us that we need to get up and do something.

I came across a book called “The Secret Language of Feelings: A Rational Approach to Emotional Mastery” by Calvin D. Banyan. For an intellectual like myself, this book has helped me bridge the gap between rational and irrational event that comes with emotions.

One can feel any of the primary 8 emotions at any given time. By learning to identify them, clarify the cause and know how to resolve the cause of the emotions, we can remain in good health. However, if the primary emotions aren't resolved correctly, it leads to frustration. This is when the current method of emotional resolution isn't working and another strategy must be adopted. For many of us, it usually means some form of distraction by watching TV, or by emotional eating habits or substances. After a while, if this continues and the emotions are not resolved, it leads into depression. This depression is your mind's safety mechanism to stop all harm to yourself. This is when rest is mandatory and a new solution must be found and acted upon.

I've always known that there was a better way to deal with emotions than with distracting activities or prescription drugs. Many sources agree that using prescription drugs and anti-depressants is just a stop gap and not a true method of solving the problem.

To resolve boredom, you need to do something new and different. Get out of your comfort zone.

To resolve anger, you need to forgive others.

To resolve guilt, you need to forgive yourself.

To resolve sadness, you need to get back or replace the lost item or person.

To resolve loneliness, you need to have more human contact.

To resolve inadequacy, you need to enhance your skills and reject negativity.

To resolve stress, you need to learn to say no and get organized. Divide and conquer.

T resolve fear, you need to take immediate action against threat or plan ahead.

To resolve frustration, you need to identify and resolve the lingering emotions listed above.

To resolve depression, you need to rest and try a new approach to resolving the first 8 emotions.

For such a rational mind like myself, this list, used as a tool, helps me to cut through much of the mental clutter and to take action towards a more healthy life. This book has helped me organize my emotions into a dashboard with indicator lights. It has provided me with the ability to identify and fix the problem, instead of allowing my emotions to turn into an annoyance, and eventually poison.

I plan to keep this book for a long time, as a way to help myself, others, and my family. An excellent book.