What is the difference between feelings and thinking

The cause of a feeling in you can be because of you or because of others. You feel either because of recalling the memories from your past, or you feel because of some external factors. Apart from these, when your five sense organs — eyes, ears, nose, skin, and tongue sense something, it also causes you a feeling. Feelings generally play in your head. Feelings are your mental associations and reactions to situations that are usually personal to you and acquired through experience.

The English language is understood to have a list of over 4, feelings. Thoughts are all the entire set of thinking activities you do in your mind. Basically, thoughts act like a bridge between your feelings and emotions. Your thoughts represent your philosophies in life, your personal set of beliefs, ideas, and opinions. Thoughts are the true reflections of your attitude. Therefore, thought is your process or style of thinking.

Thoughts can arise suddenly in the mind, or can arise based on the influence others have on you. When you are thinking about something, it means you are actually aiming at something. Thinking derives from learning, that is, from experience. These solutions are, of course, initially provided by caregivers. That is why parenting is important.

On this basis, thinking gradually develops and teaches us how to manage our feelings — how to solve the problems that feelings represent.

Once that has happened, though, thinking can become very elaborate. To mention just the most obvious case, a thought, which has developed in relation to a particular feeling, can be re-thought. That will reactivate the feeling. So, later in development, thinking can make feelings come second. We must remember that thoughts are just an internalized version of our perceptual experiences of the world.

All thoughts, as distinct from feelings, have a perceptual format that is derived from sensory images. This applies also to thinking in words.

So when we are feeling our way through a problem using thoughts, we are, as it were, feeling our way through a virtual form of reality, feeling our way through representations of reality. The function of thinking, in this sense, stands for reality. In short: thoughts are interposed between feelings and actions. There is also an important overlap between thinking and doing in the world.

This leads me to the topic of instincts. In addition to what we work out for ourselves, and what our parents teach us, we also have certain in-built solutions to problems of universal biological significance. What are emotions? What influences emotions? Emotions can also be influenced by other factors: Cultural traditions and beliefs can affect the way a group or an individual expresses emotions.

There are some cultures in which it is deemed "bad manners" to express emotions in a way that may be considered healthy and appropriate in other cultures. Genetics or, more specifically, brain and personality structure, including self-control can affect the emotional expression of an individual or family.

What we think impacts what we feel Thoughts and emotions have a profound effect on one another. Can we change our thoughts and emotions? They can be changed by: Altering an external situation divorcing an abusive spouse Shifting our attention choosing to focus on a more positive aspect of a situation Re-appraising a situation the upcoming test is an opportunity for learning, not an assessment of my personal worth.

How we choose to live our lives has tremendous power over the way we feel every day. If you are aware of your thoughts and emotions, you can choose to change them! Footer Follow Us. Proud Members of. Appointment Request Aspen Office. Aspen Appointment Trailtalk will be in contact with you within 24 hours.

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