Take our Ambition Test

Find a therapist near me

We all are shaped by one or several emotional drivers.

Some common ones are addictions, anxiety, anger, rules and routines, values, and passions.

By stepping back to see what drives us, we can choose to eliminate what's not working and add what we need.

Just as a river shapes a canyon, our emotions run through us, shaping our everyday lives. Some propel us in a positive direction, while others are the monkey on our backs, keeping us from moving forward, sabotaging our happiness. Knowing what these drivers are allows us to step back, focus on solutions, and reset our priorities. Here are seven common ones, ranked from most negative to most positive. See which ones are running you the most:

Talk about a monkey on your back; this is the most powerful. Addictions take over your life, dictate what you focus on and what you do, and are the drain you constantly circle around, whether it is alcohol, sex, drugs, work, etc. Your life is not your own; you lose your sense of choice and control.

Unlike addictions, depression is on a continuum: The gray day when you lack energy and don’t care is different from the series of days when you can’t get out of bed or have suicidal thoughts. Regardless of its severity, all depression feels like an undertow, pulling at your life, dragging you down, draining your energy. At its mildest, it creates a why-bother-it-doesn’t-matter attitude; at its worst, you feel trapped, stuck at the bottom of a well, unable to get out, and, in........

© Psychology Today