Emotion is defined in most dictionaries as a mental state or a rapid-response feeling that arises spontaneously rather than through a conscious effort. A narrow interpretation of this definition would suggest that emotions are totally beyond our control. In fact, we do have considerable power: the power to be intentional about our use of emotion, to decide when to let an emotion flow unrestrained, and when to re-channel its course. There are three things that are important to know about emotions: emotions are about things that matter to us; they provide us with very useful information; and the drive to experience or not experience an emotion determines a lot of our behavior. This makes emotions one of the most powerful forces within us.