"Is he crying?"

"Why is she so angry?"

"Oh no, I'm catching feelings for someone again."

We as a society don't try to hide it—we don't like emotions. We view them as weak, as troublesome and useless. They get in the way of our everyday lives. As a result, we do not express what we feel, but instead suppress our emotions. We even disguise, excuse or belittle them. “No I'm not sad, I'm fine, really. It's just that I didn't do as well on that exam as I needed to, that's all." The thing is that we have gotten emotions all wrong. We have forgotten the power and importance behind them.

Emotions are not good or bad, they just are. There are some emotions that we prefer: the love we have for a family member, the joy we get from playing or doing that certain sport or hobby, but all emotions are important. As much as we may dislike feeling angry or sad, it is all a part of who we are.

We are human, we are emotional beings and emotions are a part of us whether we want to accept it or not. As surprising as it might be, emotions actually play an important role in our lives. They help us to function, survive and live healthy, happy lives. Here's a few reminders of why we need emotions in our lives, and maybe why we should start appreciating and taking more notice of them.

Emotions motivate us. They are what connect us with ideas that inspire us and give us goals we want to accomplish. Ever felt swayed to make a life change or support a certain cause? Ever felt angry about something, but the next time the opportunity came around, you tried that much harder? You can thank your emotions for that.

Emotions are the building blocks of relationships. They are how we establish communication between each other. Facial expressions and body language are the ways we express ourselves so that others can understand what we are feeling and thinking. When we tell people how we feel about particular topics, show them what we are passionate about and who inspires us, they start to understand who we are, and friendships are born from these interactions.

Emotions are a natural part of life and they make us who we are. They are naturally-occurring and they are what make us stand out from other individuals. What disgusts us, what angers us, makes us joyful or surprised, has a lot to do with who we are. Our distinct differences in our emotions are what make us different from each other. What makes me laugh and what makes you laugh is different, it is a part of our individual, unique identities.

Emotions connect us with the world around us, with people, ideas and goals for ourselves. They set us apart and make us who we are. Everyone has emotions, even if some of us are better at hiding them than others.

It can be hard to know what to do with our emotions, it can even be scary to understand where they are coming from. Even with this in mind, I believe emotions are meant to be recognized and respected. They were not meant to be dismissed or apologized for.

I truly believe our society has made us feel ashamed of the emotions and feelings we have. I think it’s time we refuse society's view of emotions and recognize all feelings as healthy and natural.

I have found that Jamie Lee Curtis's book, Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day, has done an excellent job of presenting emotions in a healthy light. My hope is that this will provide some insight as to how we all should be treating and viewing our emotions, as well as the emotions of others.

I'll end with what is said on the last page of the book:

"I’d rather feel silly, excited or glad, than cranky or grumpy, discouraged or sad.
But moods are just something that happen each day.
Whatever I’m feeling inside is okay!"
-Jamie Lee Curtis