Control Your Emotions
I’ve realized, lately, that I often tell my oldest daughter, who is now a new two year old, to control her emotions. Some might think that it’s over the top and too advanced for a child her age, I disagree. I’m trying to convey to her, in a time of an emotional up-and-down, that she has the ability and the power to control her actions in regards to her emotional status. Sometimes she immediately changes her behavior, other times she doesn’t. The realization that I’ve had is that most adults can’t do this simple task.
Emotions are highly overrated and, when used in decision making, volatile. I’m thinking back to several encounters (some of which I have posted about on this site) that I’ve had with adult men over the past several months. The regular and recurring theme between many of the encounters that have gone badly is that the man couldn’t control his emotions. He allowed his emotions (regardless of what they might be) to get the better of him. It’s a shame, really.
By allowing your emotions to be in control, you are saying that your brain isn’t strong enough or smart enough or formed enough (etc) to make a change. I know better than that. Your brain is capable of being in charge and putting your emotion in their right and ordered place. Try it next time… when you’re frustrated in traffic, relax, be a gentleman and keep on. When you get bad service at the restaurant, remain calm, let it roll away – you can still demand customer service, simply do it in the right way. When someone mistreats you, act out of charity… stand firm in the truth and remain vigilant for justice. When you disagree with your spouse, put her needs first, even when it means that you won’t get your way – be a servant-leader. No matter what the situation, you have the ability to control your emotions. I guarantee you, without a doubt, that you’ll like yourself much more and other people will like and respect you more.
Man up!
7 Days of Virtue; Day 1 – Prudence
Think of virtues like your muscles. You work you muscles out so that they can perform for you when needed. Virtue is the same way. You practice, work on the virtue and then, when the time comes, the virtue is there and ready.
Day 1 of the 7 Day Journey through the Virtues: DAY 1 – PRUDENCE.
Prudence is wisdom for practical everyday life. This means that you take practical knowledge and right reason and you use them to make decisions throughout your day.
“Knowing how to do the right thing, at the right time in the right way.”
Prudence directs all of the other virtues; therefore, we must always have the end in mind so that prudence can guide us to our goal. There are three sub-virtues to Prudence; 1. Counsel 2. Judgement 3. Decisiveness. Counsel is gathering information to make a good decision. (You seek help in making your decisions.) Judgement is sort of like being a court judge; you gather information using counsel and then you weigh that information. Decisiveness is the action that you take after counsel and judgement.
Prudence comes down to choices and actions. Our choices are incredibly important, thus we must know what to do, how to do it and when to do it. Being prudent means that you react out of knowledge and information, not out of emotion, impulse or passion. Being prudent means that you have given the choice a good deal of thought. Being prudent means that you aren’t afraid to commit to a decision.
If you want to grow in the virtue of prudence, practice being prudent. (Practice seeking counsel, making good judgements and being decisive. You must also pray that God presents you with opportunities to receive grace so that you may become prudent.)
Man up!
