Positive emotions, and all of our emotions, greatly affect our physical world, especially that of our health. I have talked about this in this post How Emotions Affect Physical Health. Our emotions have been measured and seen in the body, and how they affect our health. I do not see emotions from a place of judgment like anger is “bad” and joy is “good”. All are necessary and have a place, feeling sad and hurt and feeling happy and at peace. Do not judge your feelings, but when they come up and present themselves instead feel them. Accept them and allow yourself to move through them so that they release. Eventually I believe we will get to a point where we cannot have so many ups and downs. Instead we can view experiences from outside of our body and not have those experiences affect us so much.
You must honor your feelings, for honoring your feelings means honoring yourself. And it is said to love your neighbor as yourself. How can you ever understand and honor the feelings of another, if you cannot honor the feelings within yourself?
This was a truth that hit me several years ago. It also applied in my situation as: How can I expect another to accept me the way I am, if I do not accept myself? Understanding and Love is all we are seeking and all we want. Love is a high and fast vibration that makes you feel good all the time. Love is what we need to put out in the world. This post from Fractal Enlightenment, it was a great one to say in a different way, the same thing we are trying to grasp.
“The best way to overcome undesirable or negative thoughts and feelings is to cultivate the positive ones.” ~ William Atkinson
Why Positive Emotions Matter for Your Health
It is so important that we notice our thoughts and emotions and see how they affect not only our health, but our relationships and everything around us. When you are feeling joy, everything seems more beautiful. You are in the moment, and things seem to fall into place.
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson has spent years studying positive emotions. Her “broaden-and-build” theory says that feelings like joy, gratitude, love, awe and curiosity open up our minds. They help us try new things and connect with others, and over time that builds resilience and stronger relationships. You can read more about her work at her website.
What I love most is that she does not say to get rid of negative emotions. They are necessary, and they teach us. Positive emotions are often soft and fleeting, so the key is to make room for more of them, not to pretend the hard feelings are not there. It is about balance.
The Benefits of Positive Emotions
Here are some of the benefits that research has linked to positive emotions:
- Bouncing back faster from stress
- Healthier blood pressure and heart health
- Better sleep and fewer aches and colds
- Seeing more possibilities and new ideas
- Moving through hard emotions faster
- More play, which leads to more movement and exercise
- Deeper connections with the people around you
When I am in that happy space, my creativity flows and new ideas come so easily. I do not stay there all the time, and that is ok. There will be days when you feel down. When that happens, notice the feeling, let it move through you, and then think of a happy memory or something you are grateful for. You will be surprised how fast the heavy feeling starts to fade.
How to Bring More Positive Emotions Into Your Day
Remember that emotions we push down and hold onto can affect our body, mind and spirit. So feel them, release them, and then fill that space with something good. Laughter is my favorite, it always works for me! Here are some other ideas:
- Spend a few minutes in meditation
- Go for a walk outside or do some yoga
- Paint, dance, sing, or create something
- Write down three things you are grateful for
- Call someone who makes you laugh
Positive emotions help us live in the present moment and feel connected to everything around us. And if you have old emotions you are ready to let go of, read my post on how to release stored emotions.
