Hi Anita,

This sounds like a good plan. I am happy to continue discussing this with you on this forum. I realize this may take time, but I will commit myself to remaining active and replying to each of your questions.

I would describe negative emotions as those which are deprecating to oneself or another person.

Towards another person, an example could include preconceived notions or negative judgments without even knowing them (something I was guilty of in my youth). It could also be feeling negatively about someone after a rude or unkind interaction (e.g. when someone rudely shoved me in a crowded place, I would feel resentment or anger towards this person). I am realizing that perhaps these are negative thoughts, rather than emotions.

I would like to emphasize that what I have described as negative emotions are a bit more internal. For many years, I struggled with making friends in school and was teased/bullied, moreso in late elementary and middle school. I would feel ashamed (a negative emotion) as if there is something wrong with me, I would wonder throughout my teen years why I can’t be “normal.” The example I mentioned above, in my self-perceived bad performance in school, I had a poor self-view (another negative emotion). I had little confidence while applying to college, for example, and to this do I brood over what would have happened had I applied to a few more places, even though I got into a school I wanted to.

Is this making sense? Please let me know if you would like me to clarify something further.