A very common word associated with emotions is feelings. So lets take a moment and discuss what a feeling is. The bottom line definition to feelings is a perception one undergoes in response to an experience. One may first notice that the definition is pretty broad, which is my point about feelings. Feelings are designed to motivate you to do something. For instance when you put your hand on a hot bar-b-que you feel the heat and perceive it as uncomfortable so you remove your hand. Through out our lives we continue to learn associations with other stimuli. When on accomplishes a great task, you feel a surge in energy, your heart pumps faster, and your thoughts are focused on the task having been accomplished. Feelings are important they empower us to rectify a wrong and serve us when we cross a moral line. So feelings are good, right? Not exactly good but maybe important. Let's look at a different perspective, say one has lost most of the nerve endings in his hand and he puts his hand on the hot barbeque grill. His feelings (in his hands) may tell him that it feels good because it takes a lot of heat to allow him to feel any warmth. The problem is the energy dissipating from the grill is starting to burn his skin but he can't feel it. Or take a nervous stomach for instance. If one comes to associate the jitters and a churning stomach as being nervousness one could easily mistake a reaction to food or some other chemical as nervousness when it is actually a physical reaction. Unfortunately we have been trained by the media and others to follow our feelings. But sometimes what we think are legitimate feelings are actually the bodies reaction to something entirely different. Take for instance a person who desires peace in their life but never feels like they enter in to it. When you examine their life you find out that the person drinks and enormous amount of caffeinated beverages causing her to feel anxious most of the time. Another aspect concerning our emotions is our thought life. Victor Franko who was imprisoned in a concentration camp during the holocaust was able escape becoming a victim of his circumstance because of the freedom he found inside his mind. "One can't take away your dignity unless you give it to him," he stated. Our thoughts dictate how we feel. If we think negative thoughts our attitude becomes negative. If we think positive thoughts we have a better outlook on life. We must capture our thoughts and think of things which our edifying. I suggest that you create a list of all things that bring you joy and are thankful for. Keep a constant surveillance of your thoughts and when they begin to judge others, begin a pity party or dwell on any negative experience, cast it down and begin to go through your list of "positive thinking." After much practice this will become your everyday attitude. We can't go on letting our "feelings" dictate our decisions. Even at their best emotions only give you part of the story. One has to examine the facts and all the angles before making a proper judgement.