In Jujutsu Kaisen, Jujutsu Sorcerers draw upon their negative emotions, using them as Cursed energy to fuel their powerful abilities.
(Picture credit: https://hypebeast.com/2022/9/jujutsu-kaisen-season-2-continuous-half-year-run-news)
Negative emotions can come in many forms, brought about by a myriad of situations in real life. From feeling stressed about exams to experiencing frustration towards a friend, these occurrences often impact our day and our ability to work on our tasks as needed. However, these negative emotions are not wholly bad. In fact, they are natural and even necessary for us to grow.
Just like the Jujutsu Sorcerers, we can harness them to become stronger in the face of future adversity. Below, we outline how negative emotions can be helpful to us and give you some tips to manage them.
(Picture credit: https://www.oneesports.gg/anime/jujutsu-kaisen-phantom-parade-mobile-game/)
Saying that negative emotions enrich us and our lives may seem counterintuitive, however, they serve key functions in helping us become better people. In Jujutsu Kaisen, the Jujutsu Sorcerers recognise the importance of negative emotions and are attentive to when they arise.
Here are a few ways that our negative emotions can be helpful to us:
1. They act as signals
These negative emotions may indicate that something may not be right with our mindset or the situation. This prompts us to act and change ourselves or the environment we are in. For example, resentment towards someone may indicate that our boundaries have been crossed. Therefore, we may need to make them clearer with the offending party and protect ourselves. In the end, we are nurtured towards happier lives and growth to become better people.
2.They are important learning points
In encountering negative emotions in particular scenarios, we learn to take steps towards preventing those scenarios, avoiding them and/or navigating them. We become wiser in our ability to identify whether these situations are preventable or avoidable, as well as to our courses of action.
3.They cultivate resilience
As we face these negative emotions time and again, we become tougher and are less likely to give up easily as future obstacles come our way. When we learn to manage these negative emotions, we realise that we can also handle the difficult situation that we are faced with. This helps us recognise that we can rise above the challenges and persevere.
(Picture credit: https://mangathrill.com/jujutsu-kaisen-megumi-shows-his-newest-cursed-technique/2021/02/13/anime-news/)
It is a natural instinct to want to push negative emotions away because they make us feel uncomfortable. When these feelings strike, put yourself in the mindset of a Jujutsu Sorcerer; focusing on understanding and later turning them into a positive outcome.
Try doing this by working through these 5 steps:
1.Acknowledge them
Allow yourself to do this without feeling guilty for the way you feel. Don’t push the emotions aside nor try to change them. For example, simply thinking to yourself, “I don’t feel good right now” is enough. Remember that negative emotions are natural and part of life.
2.Name them
Take the time to examine and identify what exactly it is you are feeling. Be as specific as possible. This is important in helping to validate what you are experiencing.
3.Feel them
Allow yourself to feel the emotions but from the mindset of examining the emotions with curiosity. Try to identify where in your body you are feeling them. For example, you may feel weary in your shoulders or guilt in your belly. Emotions may not originate from the same place every time nor be the same for every person.
4.Extend compassion
Be kind to yourself during this difficult time. Remember that you are not any less of a person because of these experiences. If the emotions become too overwhelming, do something you like to take a break from them.
5.Leverage them
Examine the source of these emotions and learn to use them as signals for your needs. For example, if you identify that you feel irritable when others borrow your things without asking, you can learn to communicate this boundary clearly to others in the future.
To learn more about how to manage these negative emotions in yourself and even others, check out these other Shadee.Care articles: