I like to try and experience all aspects of life. Prof. Lisa Barrett makes clear in her book "How Emotions Are Made" and in her TED talk "You Aren't at the Mercy of Your Emotions" that we construct our emotions and we can modify them. Nevertheless, I don't think I get the emotions many of my friends do, especially my women friends. Some of them seem to have five or ten waves of emotion for every one that I experience. Mine seem lighter and less affecting. I believe that cheer and joy are better than sadness and I have been practicing for many decades anticipating negative emotions and modifying them.
I try not to be false or fake to myself but I can usually see something like at least a neutral side, if not a humorous or positive side to situations. Practicing my usual approach doesn't give me many strong negative feelings. So, I was surprised when I could feel quite clearly depression and awareness of negative aspects of life this morning. I knew I was feeling that type of emotion. True, it was dreary, chilly and unpleasant outside. I could feel negativity rising. I made a note after looking at Google News and taking in the dreary, foggy morning weather that I wanted something besides fog, war, covid-19, inflation, shrinkflation, pollution, cold and aging. I didn't increase or decrease the negativity. Our durned outside thermometer has seemed stuck on 20° for days, despite predictions that we would get to 40 or 50.
Now, the sun is out, the sky is blue and we have reached 49°. I have to get out there!
