The 2 Human Emotions

You might have read that title and thought, “uh, I think you’re missing more than a few!” According to psychiatrists, there are 27 basic human emotions, all of which can be bucketed into “Love” or “Fear”. Any emotion that is negative or creates negative feelings is under Fear, while those that are positive go under Love. It’s important to understand and develop the ability to name the emotion you’re feeling as well as see whether it stems from love or from fear. Why? Because that recognition will allow you to determine how (or whether) you take action during that state.

Think of a time when you made a decision while experiencing a fear-based emotion (say anger, disgust, or anxiety). What was the outcome of that decision or action? Did it create more issues? Did it help or make matters worse? Quite likely, the decision or actions we take while experiencing any fear-based emotions will generate less than positive results. We often make decisions too hastily, create more work for ourselves, or miss out on opportunities that later leave us feeling more fear-based emotions.

This doesn’t mean every decision or action made out of a love-based emotion is going to be successful or have the most ideal outcomes. That said, they have a much greater likelihood of being positive, productive and effective. Our thoughts are clearer and more rational when we are feeling love-based emotions so naturally our actions and decisions are more thought-out and factor in the bigger picture.

Our emotions and our mindset go hand in hand. We can’t honestly say we are in a success mindset if we are holding onto anger or anxiety…or letting those feelings run the show. It’s ok to experience those emotions, but the key is taking the time to recognize what we are feeling and make a conscious effort to adjust our thoughts (or take a pause from action and decision-making) so that we can tap into the right mindset to ensure the best outcome.