Let Go of Your Ego…Let Go of Negative Emotions

“Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on.”

― Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose

Are you aware that your ego loves negative emotions? It thrives on fear, stress, and anxiety, seemingly recycling these emotions over and over. It is exercising its normal ego state. However, holding on to negative emotions prevents you from growing as a person, and finding true happiness.

But it’s not your ego’s fault. It’s just trying to protect you!

So what’s a person to do?

Learn about it: 

1. What is the ego? The ego is part of your being. It reacts to the outside world and shapes how you see it. Your ego is your sense of self-esteem or awareness. Your ego controls how you view yourself compared to others. However, it’s important to note with focus, that you can control this.
   
   
2. Notice your ego’s self-talk. Self-talk can be both positive and negative.
   
   
   1. You may see the ego come through in statements such as I’m not good enough or smart enough. On the other hand, you may see it in thoughts such as I’m perfect, capable, or beautiful.
      
      
   1. Your ego uses “I” and “me” in these self-talk conversations.

• Your ego can serve as an imposter and not represent your actual true self.
  
  
• Pay attention to negative emotions. Since your ego is connected to the outside world and how you view yourself, fear is a prominent part. You may be afraid to do something that may make you feel embarrassed. You may be scared to do something new. You may fear talking to others. You can become addicted to negative emotions.
  
  
  • Your ego is fragile, so it can get hurt easily. For example, someone may say something that hurts your feelings. You immediately shut down and don’t want to talk to this person again. This is your ego in action. You’re hurt and scared of hearing them say something negative again.
    
    
  • It’s beneficial to recognize negative emotions, learn to address them by working through them.
    
    
• Understand psychological versus realistic emotions. In some situations, negative emotions such as fear are necessary and can preserve you. However, when they come from your ego, they are psychological and not necessary. Here’s an example:
  
  
  • Fear of the unknown or being in a dark alley is normal. This is your gut trying to save you from a dangerous situation.
    
    
  • On the other hand, fear of talking to a safe crowd at a conference is your ego talking. Psychological fear can be damaging, intrusive, and distracting. It can lead to anger and resentment.
    
    
• Recognize negative emotions. Fear and worry often appear together. Anxiety can lead you to fear and fear can cause anxiety. The two are linked, so it’s hard to separate them.
  
  
  • If you recognize that worry is the real issue, then fear won’t have a chance to take over. You can control how much you worry, so fear doesn’t have a chance to stop you.
    
    
• Learn to be present in the moment. By learning to be present in the moment and observing your fear from a distance, you can control it. Awareness is the key to conquering fear created by your ego. Once you’re aware of how your ego is creating fear and anxiety, then you can observe it and learn to shape it.
  
  
  • You have the power to stop negative emotions in your mind. It’s important to remember that all the negative scenarios in your head don’t have to happen in real life. They can stay as imaginary issues. Ruminating on them isn’t helpful and in most cases, they may never materialize.
  • Practicing meditation and breathing techniques can help.

Negative emotions do not have to take over your life when they serve no real purpose. Don’t get stuck recycling them.You can learn to let go of an unhealthy ego and let go of negative emotions so that you can maximize your true capabilities and true self.

References:

Tolle, E. (2005). A new earth: Awakening to your life’s purpose. New York, N.Y: Dutton/Penguin Group.