--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Emotions, or feelings, have a function…" description: "\"“Emotions, or feelings, have a function. They tell us something. They are a signal…Anger tells us that our boundaries have been violated. Much like a n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ca/dr-henry-cloud-and-dr-john-tow_anger_emotions-or-feelings-have-a-function-the_1813951.jpg" --- # Emotions, or feelings, have a function. They tell us… ![“Emotions, or feelings, have a function. They tell us something. They are a signal…Anger tells us that our boundaries have been violated. Much like a nation's radar defense system, angry feelings serve as an "early warning system" telling us we're in danger of being injured or controlled.” quote by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ca/dr-henry-cloud-and-dr-john-tow_anger_emotions-or-feelings-have-a-function-the_1813951.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ca/dr-henry-cloud-and-dr-john-tow_anger_emotions-or-feelings-have-a-function-the_1813951.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ca/dr-henry-cloud-and-dr-john-tow_anger_emotions-or-feelings-have-a-function-the_1813951.jpg) > ““Emotions, or feelings, have a function. They tell us something. They are a signal…Anger tells us that our boundaries have been violated. Much like a nation's radar defense system, angry feelings serve as an "early warning system" telling us we're in danger of being injured or controlled.”” Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotions act as early warning signals, indicating threats to personal boundaries or safety. **In simple terms:** Feelings warn of danger. Key Takeaway Listen to emotional alerts. Themes psychology self-awareness boundaries emotion health Mood introspective cautious Type advice psychology health When to use this quote - relationship counseling - personal development - conflict resolution Key Concepts signal theory personal safety emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize emotional warnings? - What boundaries are being protected? A Different Perspective May overemphasize negative emotions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Angry feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry-feelings/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Emotions feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-feelings/) ## Related quotes > [We cannot discipline our emotions. Our feelings, whether positive or negative, only tell us what kind of thoughts we are thinking at the moment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-randymar/we-cannot-discipline-our-emotions-our-feelings-whether-positive-or/) [Joel Randymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-randymar/) > [Anger is preverbal, so, by the time you're using words to express an angry feeling, you're already imposing loads of structure on that primal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/anger-is-preverbal-so-by-the-time-you-re-using-words-to-express-an/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [Anger should never be permitted to rise in our bosoms, and words suggested by angry feelings should never be permitted to pass our lips.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/anger-should-never-be-permitted-to-rise-in-our-bosoms-and-words/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [Angry feelings serve as an "early warning system" telling us we're in danger of being injured or controlled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/angry-feelings-serve-as-an-early-warning-system-telling-us-we-re-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [O, Mrs. Clennam, Mrs. Clennam," said Little Dorrit, "angry feelings and unforgiving deeds are no comfort and no guide to you and me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/o-mrs-clennam-mrs-clennam-said-little-dorrit-angry-feelings-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Remember, there’s a huge difference between angry feelings and angry actions. Yes, you have to discourage misbehavior, but it’s superimportant that your child know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-karp/remember-there-s-a-huge-difference-between-angry-feelings-and-angry/) [Harvey Karp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-karp/) > [“And that was why she was angry. Because they weren't giving her a reason to be angry. Feelings. Were. Stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/and-that-was-why-she-was-angry-because-they-weren-t-giving-her-a/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Try saying this: 'What's true for me today is that I have angry feelings concerning what I heard you say when you said what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-stone/try-saying-this-what-s-true-for-me-today-is-that-i-have-angry/) [Judith Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-stone/) > [“We all need to say what we think and feel. When we block the normal channels of expression, the emotions find other ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/we-all-need-to-say-what-we-think-and-feel-when-we-block-the-normal/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [You become more and more charged with your life and with a life that you're observing. When I was younger, I was actually looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-rampling/you-become-more-and-more-charged-with-your-life-and-with-a-life-that/) [Charlotte Rampling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-rampling/) > [... so far from entrenching human conduct within the gentle barriers of peace and love, religion has ever been, and now is, the deepest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/so-far-from-entrenching-human-conduct-within-the-gentle-barriers-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [WE CAN'T EXPRESS TRUE LOVE INTO WORDS, THE TRUE LOVE IS SHOW IN OUR EMOTIONS AND OUR FEELINGS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanju-goyal/we-can-t-express-true-love-into-words-the-true-love-is-show-in-our/) [SANJU GOYAL](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanju-goyal/) > [The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God's eyes, called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-truth-even-though-i-cannot-feel-it-right-now-is-that-i-am-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [It is not our exalted feelings, it is our sentiments that build the necessary home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bowen/it-is-not-our-exalted-feelings-it-is-our-sentiments-that-build-the/) [Elizabeth Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bowen/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) ## More by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend > [“Misinformation about the Bible's answers to these issues has led to much wrong teaching about boundaries. Not only that, but many clinical psychological symptoms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-henry-cloud-and-dr-john-townsend/misinformation-about-the-bible-s-answers-to-these-issues-has-led-to/) Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend Explore all 2 Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend quotes ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Emotions, or feelings, have a function. They tell us something. They are a signal…Anger tells us that our boundaries have been violated. 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