Feelings vs Behaviour

Feelings
Feel-ing (noun)
1. the function or the power of perceiving by touch
2. physical sensation not connected with sight, hearing, taste or smell
3. a particular sensation of this kind: a feeling of warmth; a feeling of pain
4. the general state of consciousness conseredered independently of particular sensations, thoughts, etc
5. an emotion or emotional perception or attitude: a feeling of joy; a feeling of sorrow
6. capacity for emotion, esp. compassion: to have great feeling for the sufferings of others
7. feelings, sensibilities, susceptibilities: to hurt one’s feelings

Behaviour
Be-hav-iour (noun)
1. manner of behaving or acting
2. Phychology, Animal Behaviour
a. Observable activity in a human or animal
b. The aggregate of responses to internal and external stimuli
c. A stereotyped, species-specific activity, as a courtship dance or startle reflex
3. Often, behaviours, a behaviour pattern
4. the action or reaction of any material under given circumstances: the behaviour of tin under heat

Source:
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary,
© Random House, Inc. 2006


We all go through life filled with feelings, different feelings ranging from anger, anxiety, hurt, joy, love and true happiness. We judge situations by what we call a “gut-feeling”, others call it a sixth sense or a sensation that allows us to summarise a situation and make, what we believe to be, is the right decision.

These feelings give us hope or make us doubt life, but what comes after these feelings is a reaction, something based on what we were feeling or sensing, a behaviour. Feelings guide our behaviours and we should learn to listen to that “gut-feeling”, to the feelings we are feeling.

So many of us hide from these feelings, we bury them because we are afraid of the behaviours they will demand from us. We are afraid of experiencing those feelings that make us vulnerable, that leave us open to hurt and disappointment because we try to protect ourselves. However, by hiding from these feelings we don’t allow ourselves the freedom to react and by hiding we might miss out on experiences that would grow us, bring us joy or change us for the better.

So embrace your feelings, follow your gut and react in such a way that you can look back and be content with your behaviour.