[Whatthebleepdoiknow]

I do know that negative emotions do arise from negative beliefs.
What I want to know is is it possible for one to have positive beliefs and still have negative emotions?
I keep reminding myself that I am not worthless and inferior, but I have these severe feelings of inferiority. And I really do not believe I am defective.
Or is it emotions that are causing beliefs?

[(JD)]

is it possible for one to have positive beliefs and still have negative emotions?

Absolutely! Depending upon how long (years) one has been feeding the negative thinking, and how many others have been adding to those negative cognitive distortions, it may take many years to "know" and "do/feel" the same good things!

While learning how to reinforce those positive cognitions, be sure you can recognize the distortions no matter what form they take. (There's a sticky post at the top of the Psychotherapy Forum.)

Don't become frustrated. It's a long haul, but the right road!

[danvb]

Hello!
The meaning you give to what happens to you totally determines your reaction to what happens to you. One meaning can lead to upset and suffering; another meaning of the same event can lead to excitement, challenge, and happiness.

Events in the world have no inherent meaning, when you give meaning to events it seems as if your meaning (how the event is occurring to you) is what is actually happening. In fact, however, your occurring exists only in your mind.

All of our beliefs about ourselves, others, and life itself are nothing more than the meaning we have given to meaningless events. "I'm not good enough" is the meaning we have given to parental criticism or dissatisfaction with what we do as a child; "relationships are difficult" is the meaning we have given to our parents arguing all the time or to our first couple of unpleasant relationships; "life is difficult" is the meaning we have given to difficult childhood experiences where we and our family struggled a lot; etc.

So our anxiety, procrastination, concern with the opinion of others, lack of confidence, difficulties in relationships, stress, etc. are all primarily the result of beliefs: the meanings we gave earlier in our lives to meaningless events.

The meaning we give events determines how they occur for us at the moment. One meaning can lead to a positive occurring; another meaning can lead to a negative occurring. Unfortunately, most of the time most of us never distinguish between what is actually happening and the meaning we are giving what is happening.

For example, your boss asks you a question. If you give it the meaning that your boss is dissatisfied with you, you likely will feel anxious or angry. If you give the same question the meaning that your boss is just trying to get some information, you will feel calm and provide the information.

Another example: Your spouse asks you to do something. If you give it the meaning that he is asking because he doesn't trust you to do it on your own, you will be angry or upset. If you give it the meaning that she is just telling you what she wants, then you probably will feel nothing at all.

Meanings that turn into beliefs are generalizations about ourselves, people, and life that stay with us forever, unless we eliminate them. Meanings that determine how an event occurs for us disappear as soon as we stop thinking about the event.

When people eliminate all the beliefs that cause a given behavioral or emotional problem, the problem disappears.

Sounds as though it is your emotions and/or circumstances/influences/environment at issue.Were you told this sort of thing as a young person?This could be intrusive thoughts seeping in from childhood messages,or simply from subconscious worries?I find it helpful to think that I will always be inferior to someone/something...but I can be the best me by assessing what I need to work on.Hope that assists somehow.~W~

[Whatthebleepdoiknow]

I thank you all for thoughtful inputs. As it turns out belief systems are probably the core importance here. I think I have so much emotional disturbances because of negative core beliefs deeply rooted in my subconciosu mind. I strongly believe this is caused in childhood. But it just sucks that I cannot remember what really happend, who said what, what happened to whom. I just remember having really low self-esteem as a child.
I'm studying belief system these days. One helpful website discusses why people get confused. Many people who have problems with their lives think they are positive thinkers. However, everyone can think of positive things when positive things are happening. But it's really the time when hardships fall on you, you can assess your true belief system. For example, one might think about all the positive thinking and have positive belief system and when he fails at something, he might say, "I knew it. I knew I was going to fail" Now this is deeply rooted false core beliefs in Subconcious mind. So this website said whenever I feel like I am a loser or I failed at something, I have to listen to my inner voice.
Everyone has different negative core belief system. There is really no one-fit-size universal negative corebeliefs. Everyone reacts differently to different beliefs. SOme people might be suffering from the belief "I am not good enough" and some people might have "I am unlovable". So these days I'm trying to remember the times I had emotional pains and what I was telling myself to identify what my negative beliefs are. But honestly, I can't really remember because whenever bad things happen I always tell myself I am a okay person, but I just feel HORRRIBLE. So...I'm kind confused. Do I really have false core beliefs? Or is it something else?
But I know one thing that has been bothering and annoying me my entire life. Whenever I get responses from someone I didn't expect, for example, I want them to respond with smile and with all positive tone, I feel really bad and I immediately get into self-analysis mode ( I named it). Then I think "did I do somethig wrong? If I said it in a better way, would thatperson have talked to me like that?" "What is wrong with me? If I was a smarter and better person, I probably would have gotten better response. yea it must be me. If I am a powerful being, he wouldn't have talked to me like that." These kind of thinking are followed by great emotional pains that I feel in my gut area. It feels like something just hit my stomach. ....Yea I don't know what is wrong with me. This has been bothering all my life. A few weeks ago, a college friend who I have been hanging out with me didn't call me for a long time, so I called her. For many times, she told me she will callme right back but didn't. It's obvious she is doin gthat on purpose. And I was telling myself "Yea I knew it. I knew the relationship was going to end like this." "Just when is my life going to get better?"
ERr......I don't know what kind of negative beliefs I have. I am so lost....