emotions

emotions are funny things, so often we are controlled or compelled in our actions by them.
they can make our life richer but can also screw it up .
the battle is learning to control them while still letting yourself feel.
i still have not yet mastered this not sure i ever will.
sometimes changing your feelings is merely a matter of a paradigm shift, still other times it is a matter of choices, sometimes it comes in the form of renewed hope or worse in times of utter despair.
if we can't learn to rule our emotions they rule us, but how do you control something so natural and ingrained?? isn't taming our emotions unnatural? aren't they there for a reason?
i understand about self control and not always acting on our emotions because that would lead to lots of trouble especially when anger is involved, but is taming emotions mainly a matter of not acting on the impulses that come with the emotion or is it about controlling how you feel in certain situations?