How to balance Reason and Emotion

Much has been said in relation to reason and emotion; however, how do you strike a balance? How do you know when one should overshadow and be more audible than the other? These are common questions without simple answers. Each person learns how to find that balance within him.

In any case, there are certain types of attitudes that can help in this process. And that is exactly what we will talk about throughout the article. Keep reading to better understand how reason and emotion work and, thus, discover how to balance them within yourself.

Reason vs. Emotion: What’s so important about finding balance here?

Since proper balance needs to be struck between reason and emotion, that’s an essential characteristic of the light life and the right decision-making process. Otherwise, the door would open for impulsive decisions, surrendering to emotion, or being unemotional-never enjoying the grand beauty of emotions.

When you are able to find the balance between your rational and emotional side you tend to make decisions with greater probability of success. Remember nothing in life is guaranteed to happen, but when you are thinking in balance, you are bound to have more positive probabilities.

We need reason and emotion to make the right decision. In a professional setup, for instance, we would want the reason to take control in a situation where you have various possibilities to choose from and opt for one that gives you the best result. In a dangerous situation, however, emotions shall give you the resources that will enable you to react fast and protect yourself.

7 Tips for Balancing Reason and Emotion

Now that you realize this self-balancing of reason and emotion, there are certain tips that you can use to get back on track. This is a long process and therefore, results cannot be expected overnight. So keep moving forward and learn from each experience.

1. Be aware of your emotions

This is a basic thing to learn: getting to know your emotions. It seems obvious knowing whether you feel happy, sad, angry, anxious, etc. However, the truth is that not everybody knows how they feel emotionally. Watch yourself: does this really happen to you? Therefore, everything lies in practice.

2. Don’t decide when you are so emotional.

They say there’s truth in the saying that we should not promise anything when we are too happy. And indeed, there is a valid reason why there is this saying, for when we are euphoric, we look at things in a different light than how we do it normally. Therefore, let us not make important decisions on days when you are overly happy, sad, or angry. Wait for the days of calm.

3. Take note of the advantages, disadvantages, and risks of a decision

When you have to make an important decision, make a list of pros, cons, and risks. This way, you’ll be able to get a clearer view of the possible scenarios and choose that one that seems most interesting. Believe me, it makes everything much simpler compared to letting all your thoughts flow about it.

4. Find ways to manage emotions

In the first tip, we discussed the awareness of your emotions, which you can then use ways of managing them. Although everyone has his or her own resources, in general there are some activities that work for everybody.

Practicing physical activity is great for relieving anger and stress. Just as breathing exercises and manual activities that require attention help control anxiety, developing emotional intelligence can also be an extremely valuable resource in this regard. Try out a few options and choose the ones you will use when you need them.

5. Write about what you are feeling

Therapeutic writing is one of the most positive activities that can bring balance between reason and emotion to your life. You can keep a journal to write down what you feel. However, do that without judging the content or the writing. Remember the basic idea is to put those ideas on paper; therefore, do not worry about perfection.

6. Understand your behavior and thought patterns

All persons, with their lifetime, have developed different sets of behavior patterns and thinking. What a reaction to emotions is primarily determined by upbringing and genetic predisposition as well as culture is. And the comprehension of these enables you to look more broadly at who you are.

Here, it is also worth keeping records of the information you identify. They will help you understand yourself and create a true map of how emotions manifest in your behavior.

7. Find a middle ground between reason and emotion

Ultimately, the best thing to do is always find a middle ground. That way, you can enjoy the best that reason and emotion can offer you. To understand better, take a look at the following example: you receive a job offer from another company. If you think only rationally, you will focus on the salary and benefits offered.

But is that all that matters when making this decision? It is also important to consider the emotional side, asking yourself how you would feel emotionally about this job change. By weighing both sides, you will be able to make the best choice based on what you believe and want for yourself.

Your life is yours, as are your decisions, but this freedom comes at a price, which is risk. So enjoy your independence and always pay attention to your reason and emotions, to make sure that neither of them is overstepping its bounds.