Michael Hung | Staff Writer

      Too many times we find ourselves struggling and enduring negativity within our minds subconsciously, which ultimately prevents our ability in achieving happy days and sunny feelings. Life, as maturity and experience age our thoughts, becomes difficult and confusing. We spend so much time sitting in the dark corners, listening to songs filled with emotional pathos, that we don’t realize how feelings fluctuate and decline. The somber moments of seclusion, the silent rooms, the exhaustion, the hopeless confusion, the contemplation of life, we all feel it at times, whether or not it only lasts for five minutes. As farfetched as it seems, we often allow our moody state to absorb emotions from our atmosphere.

      Emotions are the responses and reflections affected by the thoughts that circulate through our brain. People truly do forget or don’t realize how much power and control our minds possess. Life and society teaches us to naturally focus in on the negative aspects without even consciously accepting the process. Many of our “unconquerable” problems arise from the inside of our heads. When we think of negative and bad thoughts, our emotional response immediately overwhelms our mood creating a sense of depression or “downtime.” Falling into a glum state, conflicts that bother us become magnified as hopelessness originates from our emotional turmoil. Problems, although never impossible to conquer, seem to possess the winning-hand over us and destroy our confidence in surpassing it. This is when we get “stuck” with our life and feel lost and confused. What we must realize, repeat, and enforce to ourselves is the fact that we truly have the control of our emotions. Even though the atmosphere, events, and situations affect our mood, we subconsciously respond with our feelings.

      We must learn to take control of our emotions and be able to voluntarily change them if decline occurs. Although cheesy, the most effective method is to just think of positive thoughts and to “let go.” Meditation can help calm the mind and body physiologically and even chemically. When beginning to feel stressed or uneasy (doesn’t matter if you know the reason behind your feelings…. human emotions are hard to understand), close your eyes and think of nothing. Breathe deep breaths and imagine the air flowing through your nostril. If you meditate for 5 minutes, you should feel some relief and serenity allowing your mind to process efficiently. Meditation will take practice and patient; so don’t expect a miracle solution. Remember that thinking about positive things will actually improve your mental state and help you relax. If you think of things that bother you, your emotions will reflect in forms of frustration, stress, or depression.

      In order to achieve a closer sense of happiness, you must remember to not take everything too seriously. Admit failure as a stepping-stone or obstacle to your goals, not as an ending point. We all have to learn how to “brush things off our shoulder” and to move on past negligible nuisances. Do not let small things get to you! Life is too short and too important to be lingering on every detail that seems out of sync. Remember that perfection is impossible and that things are never as bad as we make them seem. Happiness truly isn’t an impossible goal. Do not dramatize life and attempt to create scenarios. Take control of your mind and your life. Rid the shadows out of the corners of your mind, sunshine is just on the other side. Keep your heads up because you have the power to maintain the life you want to live. Always remember that you can always get back up.