So far we've talked about labeling feelings of the challenging and difficult variety. The type of feelings most of us tend to want to reject, get rid of, in short - not feel. Here is a list of positive feelings that most people want to hold onto:

ATTRACTIVE: pretty, vital, vivacious, sympathetic, fair, beautiful, wonderful, desirable, good, comely, sexy, helpful, lovely   
HAPPY: cheerful, loving, nice, affectionate, contented, delight, enjoyment, glad, cheerful, joyous, free, open, released
INSPIRED: proud, rapturous, rewarded, reverent, lively, impressed, high, awed, charmed, animated, captivated, eager, ecstatic, electrified, loving, enchanted, excited, fascinated, honored, kind   

TRANQUIL: full, relaxed, sated, satisfied,serene, settled, sure, blissful, calm, agreeable, refreshed, contented, pleasant, pleased, easy, adequate, gratified, full, heavenly, solemn 
COMPETENT: capable, clever, groovy, keen, effective, proficient, fit, able, skilled, suitable 
AGGRESSIVE: strong, competitive, bold, challenged, enterprising, tenacious, brave, determined, opposed, energetic, powerful, deserving, entitled, assertive, dynamic

     Are you surprised to see that aggression is a positive emotion? I just want you to know that ALL feelings are constructive and healthy. Of course, recognizing and labeling them is always the first step.

     What we do with our feelings can be either healthy or destructive.
Aside from the effect that smoking, drinking, food and exercise has on cholesterol levels and our general health and well-being, there is a great deal of research to support how denying negative emotions raises cholesterol levels, cortisol levels and in general increases the amount of unrelenting stress that leads to a multitude of physical and emotional problems. Individuals who allow themselves to be aware of ALL feelings without judgement have fairly low cholesterol levels and blood pressure according to recent studies. Those who "repress" (tend to put on a happy face and have trouble admitting their difficult emotions) averaged an astonishing 40 points higher and attained more dangerous cholesterol levels, and heart rate during stressful events. Additionally, if you don't let yourself have the bad feelings, the good ones cannot surface.
     For the sake of your body and your emotional well-being it is vital that you permit yourself to recognize what you are feeling, identify its source and decide what steps can be taken to make yourself feel better and to rectify the situation that gave rise to those emotions in the first place - be it stimulated by past or present circumstances. For the sake of all of your relationships it is essential that you recognize the consequence of feeling mnagement. It is only through opening your heart to yourself that you can do so with others. 

     What I mean by this is that your wellness is a pathway to happiness and love. Allowing all of what you experience in the moment makes you a more balanced, happy and healthy individual.      

All the best,

Dr. Rita