I was watching a movie the other night and it made me pretty emotional. It was sad, uplifting, and heartwarming all at once. I’m not saying anything new when I note that movies, T.V., and music have a way of bringing out emotions that we may have difficulty accessing in our everyday life.

What was most interesting to me, however, is how those feelings made me want to act. I felt like I wanted to heal the world and help the less fortunate. I wanted to be kind to my adversaries and reach out to those people whom I share conflict. That feeling made me want to be a better person. It also made me question myself: why couldn’t I volunteer more of my time or donate a bigger portion of my money to a worthy cause? It is not that I generally lack generosity or kindness, but that emotional state made me want to do something about it as soon as possible. That feeling, though, only lasted about a half-hour before it receded into the background. Those emotions returned to a muted state. It was still there, but bubbling below the surface. Not strong enough to spring me into immediate action.

It left me wondering: why can’t I feel that way all the time? I believe I would be a better person if my emotional side took over more. I would be kinder, more generous, less defensive. That is the person I want to be. Why does that feeling get relegated to certain moments in time when our emotions are drawn out of us by some outside influence?

Then I thought that maybe it was a good thing that I didn’t feel that way all the time. Maybe it would be problematic. Maybe I would be too emotional and not able to think reasonably. I might dedicate too much of my time to helping others without practicing self-care or taking care of my family. Realistically speaking, I don’t want to be teary-eyed on a daily basis, almost singlehandedly keeping Kleenex in business.

I wish I could keep that feeling in my desk drawer. I could be even-keeled when I needed to be pragmatic and take some out when I wanted to tap into my more emotional side. It would be the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, our moods are not like water that we can turn on and off. We must find a way to access our emotions without a magic elixir.

As with most things, it comes down to balance. We function best when we can be both practical and emotional at the appropriate moment. There is a time to be altruistic and a time to look out for our self-interests. But we need to make sure we are feeding both sides of our personality. Without balance, we do no reach optimal health.

With the new year upon us, it is never a bad idea to think about how we can be more helpful. How we can use our skills, energy, and finances for the betterment of others. Many people do not have their basic needs fulfilled. They lack food, shelter, and people to care about them. Many people only look to fulfill their selfish desires. As a result, the gap between the haves and have nots continues to grow wider each year.

Ask yourself an important question: am I doing enough for others that don’t have the resources and opportunities that I have? If the answer is no, it might be time to sit down and watch a movie that makes you feel like you want to do more or listen to a song that brings out the best part of yourself. If you need help, you can’t go wrong with The Lion King or almost any Neil Diamond song. For some, the Hallmark channel provides a steady stream of tears and smiles. I’m not exactly sure how emotion makes us want to be more generous and kind. All I know is that if we could learn to bottle that special feeling the world would be a better place.