Society often infers that negative emotions are "bad" or "useless". From a young age, human beings, particularly males, are taught to push away emotions like anger, sadness, or fear. Emotions that are perceived as "negative" or unpleasant are typically seen as "bad" or "useless". However, I think most can agree that all societal implications aside, emotions would not exist if they were inherently "useless" or "wrong". Emotions serve a purpose for us even if they are hard to cope with or comprehend. Negatively valenced emotions bring with them pain, but also a greater self-awareness. Our emotions show us, and others, what we value. Negative emotions also bring creative output. Researchers tell us that people who experience frustration or anger are more likely to have a more flexible thought process (Tackett-Newberg, 2018). We see this in the work of world-renowned artists like Picasso. Not only that, but our negatively valenced emotions protect us from real-world threats to our well-being. Emotions like fear and anxiety alert us that we are in the presence of something that is potentially threatening. These emotions tell us that it is time to run from the bear or to end that relationship with an emotionally abusive partner. While the use of these emotions is partially innate, they also require a certain level of emotional intelligence. Every living person has been afraid, but only those with a level of emotional intelligence know how to make use of that fear and use it to their advantage. The only way to gain emotional intelligence is to- yep, you guessed it- experience those emotions no matter how positive or negative they feel to us. All in all, our emotions (negative and positive) teach us, motivate us, and enhance our experiences.
References:
Tackett-Newberg, K. (2018, July 9). How emotionally intelligent people use negative emotions to their advantage. GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/how-emotionally-intelligent-people-use-negative-emotions-to-their-advantage-0614184.
