Positive emotions are essential to our well-being. But contrary to what one might believe, so do negative emotions. They would be important to motivate yourself to achieve your goals. Explanations from Johanna Rozenblum, clinical psychologist.
Negative emotions are scary. So much so that we would be tempted to ignore them so as not to get discouraged. But do you have to stay positive all the time to achieve a goal in life? Nothing is less sure.
Achieving a goal takes three steps
When we want to achieve a goal, we can divide this objective into three stages. You must first set this objective, then do everything possible to achieve it, before drawing a conclusion. Either it is a success and the initial objective was achieved, or it is a failure and the initial objective was missed. All these stages involve numerous cognitive processes which go from initial planning to the implementation of all possible means to achieve the final goal.
All emotions have a role
During this journey, emotions can appear, whether positive, during successes along the way, or more negative, in the event of failure to meet deadlines for example. At this point, two coping strategies are possible: listen to these negative emotions or ignore them.
And contrary to what one might believe, listening to your negative emotions would increase positive affects and reduce negative affects in the long term. Indeed, listening to your negative emotions allows you to realize the obstacles that exist on our journey. A good way to take them into account to respond appropriately.
Good in his body, good in his head!
Analyze your negative emotions carefully
For Johanna Rozenblum, all emotions have a role. “Their analysis can become harmful when it prevents us from moving forward and handicaps us.” she explains. “Fear, apprehension, when reasonable, are a form of information, a weather forecast. Fear allows us to be vigilant, anger allows us to reestablish a form of truth when we have the feeling of not being listened to or heard… All emotions are good, they are informative” adds the expert.
Be careful that they are not increased, however. “This is the limit: an increased negative emotion causes a loss of self-esteem, self-confidence and increases dysfunctional thoughts such as ‘I’m not capable, I’m not going to succeed…’ On the contrary, they allow us to keep with reality if they are well understood, well heard and well analyzed” she concludes.
