What do you think of when you hear the phrase “negative emotions”?

I hear a mix, but mostly the thoughts aren’t helping people love, befriend, and allow these emotions.

Most responses lead you to fight against and resist this normal, healthy and actually helpful part of yourself.

I prefer to call them COMFORTABLE and UNCOMFORTABLE because calling them positive and negative often leads to believing we should avoid the negative and always seek for the positive ones. Or, that the negative ones are bad, harmful or unnecessary.

The definition of the word “negative” doesn’t fit what an uncomfortable emotion truly is.

It’s only been classified as negative because these emotions often drag people down, to feel other “negative emotions” or lead us to take unhelpful actions.

But, if we believed uncomfortable emotions were powerful, useful and informative, would we be dragged down by them? Would we feel the need to respond in unkind or unhelpful or negative ways?

I prefer calling them UNCOMFORTABLE or BIG emotions instead of NEGATIVE or DIFFICULT since it helps me truly listen to my emotions and allow them to fuel my life.

All emotions are acceptable and useful.

The actions we may take while feeling them or afterwards are not.