Emotion regulation entails decreasing undesired emotional reactions, understanding our emotions, and reducing vulnerability to extreme emotional responses. The skills aim to reduce suffering and increase positive emotional experiences in our lives. They include fostering awareness and identification of emotions and understanding their functions. To reduce vulnerability to intense emotions, we learn to focus on creating balance in our lives by improving sleep, exercising regularly, developing healthy eating habits, and addressing other daily factors that improve overall health and emotional tolerance. We learn to increase positive emotions and accept and manage negative ones. Emotion regulation helps build mastery and reduce vulnerability, while accepting that it may be unattainable to find complete control of our emotions.