Great Ujamaa:

Emotions are like the wind. We can't see them but they definitely affect us. We will explore how emotions affect our personal lives and business enterprises. Join the conversation and we will explore the myth of emotions, how they are used against us, and what we can do to change this and control our own destiny.

Myth: Emotions can be bottled up or ignored.

Truth: If we ignore or bottle up these emotions, they have a tendency to fester inside of us until they explode in displays of anger or stress that ultimately harm ourselves and others.

Myth: Emotions must be expressed immediately.

Truth: In today's world there is an emphasis on expressing yourself immediately through social media or other outlets of expression. However, there is no reason why you should feel compelled to express yourself at every moment that you feel stressed or angry. The negative consequences of expressing your emotions "in the heat of the moment" far outweigh any positive effects it may have in helping you to release tension and relax. So take a deep breath, count to ten, go for a walk, meditate or call a friend when you feel yourself getting upset instead of immediately responding.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me" This is a myth. The thoughts we think and the beliefs we have actually create our emotional state. When we are emotionally upset, we are literally in an altered state of consciousness. The emotions produced by our thoughts and beliefs result in physiological changes that affect our body chemistry. When this happens, every cell in our body actually receives the message, which can manifest as disease. As we said at the beginning of the piece emotions are like wind. We can't see them but they definitely affect us. They can blow us around and blow us away, making it hard to stand firm on solid ground. Because they can't be seen, they are more difficult to control than the forces of nature like wind or water. However, we do have power over them, just like the weatherman has power to predict the weather we can learn to predict and in some cases control our emotional response. This is where having a tribe around you can help. It is good to have people around us to remind us of who we are and our responsibilities. Not just to ourselves but to our family and tribes. They can help us see what we may have missed in an emotional state, and help prevent us from destroying ourselves. Here are some questions for those in the Tribe or on the #NguzoSabaChallenge:

How do you use emotions to your advantage?

What is the best way to control your emotions?

What do you think of when you hear the word emotion?

What positive/negative emotions do you experience on a daily basis?

What are some emotional triggers you have experienced?

You should know that the road to SelfMastery is littered with questions designed to trip you up. "It is in the falling on the road that we, and you get a true look at your character!" That is a ha2tim original...

Here are some of the myths about emotions that we need to dispel:

1. Emotions are bad

2. Do not feel emotions

3. Feelings can hurt you

4. Releasing emotions will make you a better person

5. Do not express your emotions to others.

We have the choice to not express our emotions at every moment they present themselves. We should learn to observe ourselves and allow ourselves to calm down before responding to a situation. In this way, we are able to choose whether we express ourselves or if we choose self-control over an emotional outburst. A well-reasoned response is always better than one that is emotionally driven. Hopefully, in the coming years, our Tribe will have begun to establish more reasoned ways of interacting with each other in addition to just quick ways of expressing our emotions.

Oh yeah here is your proverb:

"Before you buy shoes, measure your feet."

By the way hit me up and let me know how you feel about me adding puzzles to the morning email. We can put together a crossword, word search, and suddoko if you like. The goal is to bring value as well as send out things that will be useful, fun, and help to manifest the mindset our people need problem solvers. If so I will begin to create them and ship them out daily. Either with morning email or do an afternoon delivery!!!