Think of all the emotions you go through in a week. It’s amazing, isn’t it? At different times, you experience such a wide array of emotion – happy, excited, motivated, inspired, proud, sad, scared, confused, relaxed, elated, angry… the list could go on and on.
If you take that endless list of emotions and break them down, they can be placed into one of two categories – positive emotions and negative emotions, and do you know what? They are both equally natural, and they are both important to your health and well-being.
Take, for instance, those emotions we deem “negative”: anger, sadness, frustration, overwhelm, fear. We may not enjoy having those emotions, but they are necessary, aren’t they? They may be difficult to experience, but they’re integral to a balanced life. How would you know if you were trying to do too much if not for the feeling of overwhelm that signals that you should take a break? How would you know you were taking a healthy step outside your comfort zone if you didn’t experience the fear that inevitably goes with that?
Negative Emotions are Right
When we say that an emotion is “right”, we mean that it is natural and good, and a part of what you should be feeling. We often see negative emotions as threatening or difficult, but our negative emotions very often keep us safe. The true key is in recognizing the message that is underlying the emotion, as we are experiencing it. The next time you are angry or over-reactive to a situation, ask yourself, “What is it that I am really angry here?” After some introspection, the response may surprise you!
Negative emotions help us focus in on what’s going on in our lives so that we can respond appropriately. If there is a problem, we can get help for that problem. But we can’t let ourselves dwell on negative emotions. We should think of negative emotions as a messenger, but we should not invite them in as a guest for any length of time.
Positive Emotions are Right
Who doesn’t love the elation of positive emotions? Joy, love, acceptance, peace – these are all powerfully uplifting feelings. And they help to balance negative emotions. Where negative emotions help us focus in, positive emotions feel like expansion! When we’re feeling positive, we want to share that feeling – we want to give it to others, and that is a powerful exchange.
When we have plenty of positive emotions and a healthy balance of negative emotions in our lives, we are happier people, more able to give and receive and contribute to those around us.