The Rebbe consistently emphasized the importance—and preference—of “preventive medicine.” He critiqued approaches that focus exclusively on treating illness—“curative medicine”—rather than pouring equal resources into fortifying stable health, preventing maladies and suffering to begin with. Thus, a book on the Rebbe’s guidance for emotional wellness must begin not with problems, but with the mindsets and habits that keep us strong in the first place. These are the core concepts we’ve explored until this point.

However, our discussion would be profoundly incomplete without also addressing some of the common ailments we experience. In the following chapters, we will explore a few specifics (discontent, worry, bad moods, and self-criticism), as well as general coping methods useful for all emotional struggles.

But before we begin, it is important to introduce a foundational principle that informs many of the ideas to come.

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In a letter from 1959, responding to the dilemmas of a young woman, the Rebbe wrote the following:

Regarding your question about the role of your intellect and emotions:

You are correct in thinking that you should not suppress your emotions. Rather, as with all areas of a person, your emotions should be activated so you can reach your fullest potential.

However, the activity of your emotions should be under the guidance of your intellect. Put differently, in the words of our Sages, “The mind should rule the heart.”1 This teaching indicates two points: 1. The mind should rule. 2. The heart must indeed be active—but under the rulership of the mind.2

Our emotions can seem beyond our control. They react instinctively—emotionally—to stimuli around us and inside us. They make us upset, worried, or depressed, without quite waiting for our approval.

However, the Chasidic masters taught that “the mind rules the heart.” We can redirect our heart—by redirecting our mind. This doesn’t mean becoming extremely cerebral or forcefully suppressing our passions. That would be a gross neglect of the powerful and beautiful range of emotions we were purposefully imbued with. What it does mean is that we can utilize our mind’s innate influence to steer our heart towards healthier, better, and deeper feelings.

This foundational Chasidic approach sets the tone for the next chapters. As we will see, the way the Rebbe counseled people to prevail over negative emotions often involved applying a different mindful perspective to them.

With this established, let’s continue.