What are emotions?

SUPPORT EXERCISE 1/3

Which picture represents Emotion? What picture represents Reason?

You will find the correct answer at the end of the article.

All people have two minds that work as a team: 

A rational, conscious, with which:

  • we think, reason, analyze, value and reflect,
  • review the experiences, build the present and plan the future,
  • make decisions based on the stimulus the emotions give us.

Another emotional, wiser and impulsive, sensitive, with more power and passion. It’s a guide for action but it’s inaccurate and perhaps illogical. It tells us:

  • our needs, 
  • our desires.

Both minds complement each other and it’s healthy that they are balance. It is important to learn to integrate thought and emotion. The objective is to ensure that the emotion is not imposed, but that it is not obstructed or canceled either.

SUPPORT EXERCISE 2/3

“What are emotions for you?”

Define them with your own words. It’s not a simple task. 

For me the emotions are: ___________

We give you some clues: intelligent, healthy, automatic, psychological state, they are physical, they control you, impulses, harmful, survival, feelings, run your body, thoughts.

L. Greenberg offers a good definition of what an emotion is:

“The term emotion refers to a feeling and the thoughts, biological states, psychological states and the type of tendencies to the action that characterize it.”

SUPPORT EXERCISE 3/3

“Two endings”

Remember some intense or too difficult situation for the reason you have lived. Such as the loss of a loved one or a serious emergency.

Focus on remembering. 

  • What happens when such situations occur? 
  • What happens if you act only on the basis of emotions without the participation of reason?
  • What happens if you act only on the basis of reason without the participation of emotions?

In such intense situations, we often think and behave based on our emotional state. It is important that reasoning or conscience help regulate this process. 

Write a story in which you have experienced a situation of this type and write two different endings:

  1. The one that really was.
  2. The one you now think would have been better.

Reflect on your answers.

RESULTS SUPPORT EXERCISE 1/3

“Which photo represents Emotion? Which photo represents Reason?”

The image of the direct, linear road represents emotion.

The image of the winding road, which goes up in a most appropriate way, represents the reason.

“Our emotions mobilize us and our reason guides us”

L. Greenberg

Do you know your own emotions?

Get to know yourself better to build new ways of perceiving, feeling and acting.

Being able to generate positive emotions to better face life’s challenges.