Emotional balance and growth are essential for mental health.
Losing control of, and, conversely, overly controlling your emotions can lead to Meanness.
And then gone are the days of safety, security and any sense of fair play.
But how do any of us control the oceans of emotions we have?
The trick is early detection. Such detection requires recognition, which, in turn, requires familiarity. How familiar we are with our emotions depends on how much we either embrace or avoid them.
If someone avoids sadness, for instance, then they could be undone by even the smallest of tragedies.
Or if anger is avoided, then even the most minor of disappointments could trigger a towering fury.
Those will rob you of balance and growth and the resulting wild inferno will burn you out and leave you Mean.
So, get to know your emotions in their off-hours, as it were, then, when it's go time, they'll be ready.
Get to know sadness by listening to sad music, reading a sad poem, watching a sad movie or learning of a sad tale.
Whatever level of sad you can handle.
If you notice a spiral coming, then ease off.
It's just practice. Let it take its time.
The same way you may train your body for athlethics or defense, you can train your emotions to be responsive and maintainable.
Mood drills, if you will.
Emotion training.
To achieve Happy balance and growth, and save you from turning Mean.
Because Meanness kills.