Fuck your Emotions

There are emotions and then there are meta-emotions. Life isn't about always feeling great; it's about understanding both the good and bad feelings.

Look, I know you think it's important that you're upset, angry, or anxious. That is significant. You probably believe that just because you feel like your face has been shat on makes you important. But it isn't the case. Feelings are simply events that occur. What we make of them—what we decide is important or unimportant—comes later.

There are only two reasons to do anything in life: a) it feels good, or b) it is something you believe is good or right. These two reasons sometimes coincide. Something feels good AND is the right thing to do, and that is simply fantastic. Let's have a celebration and eat cake.

It is simple to act on our emotions. You can sense it. Then you carry it out. It's similar to scratching an itch. There is a sense of relief and cessation associated with it. It provides immediate gratification. But that satisfaction vanishes just as quickly as it appeared.

It is difficult to act on what is good or right. For one thing, knowing what is good/right is not always obvious.1 You often have to sit down and think about it carefully. We frequently have to be ambivalent about our conclusions or fight against our lower impulses.

When we do what is good and right, however, the positive effects last much longer. Years later, we still feel a sense of accomplishment when we recall it. We tell our friends and family about it, give ourselves cute little awards, hang shit on our office walls, and proclaim, "Hey! That's what I did! "when our coworkers ask why we have a trophy with a goat catching a frisbee on our bookshelf (don't ask).

The point is that doing what is good/right boosts our self-esteem and gives our lives meaning.