When Negative Emotions are Constructive

There is a strange conception that exists in modern society (and probably a lot earlier than that) that certain emotions are inherently negative, such as anger or sadness. This has led many people to believe that suppressing these emotions will lead to an overall happier life. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth, and will have the adverse effect of leading an individual to be emotionally numb. Instead of engaging in this sort of self-destructive behavior, here are some tips on how to use these emotions to constructively better your life…

All emotions are important
As has been explored in the wonderfully sublime Pixar film, Inside Out, each emotion has an important place in human experience. The assumption that human beings function best when they live in constant happiness is one that is inherently destructive. To live a balanced and complete life, one has to recognize that each emotion works as a way for your brain to communicate about your current situation. To eliminate any of these emotions from your experience would wreck your mental equilibrium. Instead, focus on finding ways that these emotions can be used to improve yourself and make a better situation.

Pessimism gives you perspective
While everyone loves an optimist, the world continues to run because of the pessimists amongst us. Although there are certainly times that a pessimist will make a situation out to be worse than it is, there is a constructive way to use pessimism to your advantage. Pessimism allows you to look at possibilities that might arise from present conditions, and gives you the perspective needed to adjust your course. The greatest strategists in the world have always been successful by expecting the worst. Also, some the worst rarely does happen, they tend to not be disappointed, as much.

Anger inspires action (link)
Anger is often seen the most negatively, amongst the emotional spectrum. There is an understandable reason for this, as anger is often the emotion that leads to violence and destruction. Those who are suffering in anger can cause immense pain to those around them, and be completely oblivious to the mayhem that they have caused. This is because anger is a vibrant and passionate emotion that tends to wash away logic and reason. However, despite it being one of the greatest emotional challenges, there is indeed a way to use anger, constructively. One of the most powerful aspects of anger is that it leads us to act, which can be an incredible force for good in the world. Look around you! There is so much in the world to be angry at, just as there always has been. Whenever the world faces these issues and makes progress, it is because somebody got angry and stood up against injustice. However, to do this, one must learn to control their anger and take it with balance. For more tips on this complex process, take a look at this helpful article here.

Sadness is important for empathy
The times that we most need the support of our fellow human beings isn’t when we are at our happiest, but when we are at our most sad. Life is a complicated thing, and there will always be many times when we will be hurt by our present situation, whether it is because of pain, loss, or mere depression. For the happiest-go-luckiest among us, it can be difficult to empathize with those who are struggling. However, being able to recognize sadness as a positive way to work through something difficult is easier to do when you have known such woe, yourself. This makes sadness a tool to build empathetic connections between people, which gives sadness a power that cannot be understated.

Jealousy and admiration are closely related
Although it is often seen as petty to be jealous, it is important to note that there are two very distinct forms of jealousy. One of these forms is a destructive feeling of wanting to see somebody else fail, because you envy what they have, whether this be in the form of personal accomplishments, career progress, or healthy relationships. This is an amoral approach to life, but it’s also important to note that jealousy doesn’t have to be inherently destructive. You can feel envy for the life that another person is enjoying and feel great respect for them. Begrudging someone else for the good things that they have is a bad way to go about jealousy. However, it can often be a form of motivation to aspire to be like somebody. The heroes and idols in our lives is an example of how envy can positively affect our development.