What Is Emotion Regulation?

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It is common for people to try to suppress their emotions and feign happiness.

Emotional suppression often leads the negative effects of emotions to linger longer and be more pronounced.

Incongruence is when emotions don't match behaviors and expressions and can trigger people's nervous systems.

Emotional acceptance helps people move through emotions more quickly and healthfully.

So many of us are faking it. We’re gritting our teeth and pretending to be OK, faking smiles and feigning interest.

Happiness is often viewed as an achievement, the cumulative effect of an individual doing the work. The myth goes something like this: If I make my bed, force a smile, take deep breaths, exercise, meditate, go to therapy, and buy the latest self-help guide, I can will myself into a state of happiness.

But it’s a myth. We can’t fake the funk. Emotions come and go. We can’t walk them off or hurry them along when we don’t first acknowledge and accept that they’re........

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