The balance found in communication and one essential aspect of it, is to be able to express emotion which should be done with precise words to highlight its subtleness.
Emotion is complicated to express verbally. Sam Owen said that overwhelmed by emotions we are speechless[5]. However, expressing your feelings help you to connect with another. It creates a closeness that encourages a real dialogue and a shared experience.
The American psychologist Martin Seligman, who is one of the founders of positive psychology, has designed a model with numerous elements which help people reach a life of fulfillment, happiness, and meaning[6]. The first element of this model is Positive Emotions.
| POSITIVE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS | |
| 1. JOY | Joy comes from the experiences which are delightful and memorable when you feel that everything is right when you feel happy, safe, satisfied, and comfortable. It is a feeling of great happiness and pleasure that lifts up the spirit. |
| 2. INTEREST | Every human being has the desire to learn new things, see new places. Humans are curious and eager to explore, and the feeling of interests comes from that curiosity. When you feel interested in something, a person, a place, or else, you instantly become more open to the adventure and experiences, you discover and learn. |
| 3. SERENITY | In many ways, serenity is similar to joy, because you feel that everything is right and that feeling is followed by the tranquillity and peace of mind. It means being in the state where you feel relaxed when you don’t have any worries, where you are completely calm, enjoying. |
| 4. HOPE | At certain moments in life, you may experience some problems, and feeling the hope means you know all those issues are not permanent ones, it means you feel and believe things will change for the better, and the future is bright and beautiful. |
| 5. GRATITUDE | Gratitude is about appreciation, for certain things and people you have in your life, such as good health, great friends and family members, the talents you might possess, fortune, fame, and more, and being thankful for it. |
| 6. KINDNESS | Kindness often involves affection, and warmth and this emotion is about being considerate, being generous and friendly to other people. |
| 7. SURPRISE
(PLEASANT) |
When you do not expect a certain event to happen, and if the event happens, which is not only unexpected but is pleasurable and desirable, you will be pleasantly surprised. |
| 8. CHEERFULNESS | Feeling cheerful means, you are in the state of mind which is positive, it means you are optimistic and happy. |
| 9. CONFIDENCE | Believing that you can do something, that you can accomplish certain goals, or that you will successfully finish a particular task means that you feel confident. |
| 10. ADMIRATION | When you feel positive about people who are skilful, talented, and exceptional is something, you will admire those people. Admiration is a positive social emotion. |
| 11. ENTHUSIASM | Enthusiasm is the emotion you will feel when you are extremely excited about something when you are very interested in something. |
| 12. EUPHORIA | This emotion is something you will feel when you are simply overwhelmed with an experience that involves a great joy. For instance, you may be euphoric when your favourite team is winning a match. |
| 13. SATISFACTION | Satisfaction is the emotion you will usually feel after you fulfil a certain desire or need you had, but you can also feel satisfied when you help someone with something. |
| 14. PRIDE | Pride is the emotion that comes from feeling important and exalted for the things you achieved or the things you currently do. When you achieve something great, which is considered as valuable in social terms, you will be proud of that achievement. Feeling proud has the positive impact on self-confidence. |
| 15. CONTENTMENT | Contentment is the emotion you’ll feel when you are satisfied and happy when your mind is at ease. |
| 16. INSPIRATION | Feeling inspired comes from the uplifting experience which basically takes your breath away, such as watching a sunset which is simply perfect, being the witness of an excellence and more. |
| 17. AMUSEMENT | Life is full of humour, funny stories and jokes and funny and playful experiences that will make you laugh so hard, and in those moments, you will feel completely amused. |
| 18. ENJOYMENT | When experiencing or doing something you like, when simply taking a pleasure in something, means you enjoy it. It is a feeling of pleasure. |
| 19. AWE | Awe is something that happens when you see or experience something truly powerful and great, and when you are completely stunned by all that greatness. For instance, it may come from seeing things such as an impressive work of art, beautiful sunset, or an amazing beach covered in white sand. |
| 20. LOVE | The list of the top 20 positive feelings and emotions is random, but the fact is, love is without any doubt the most frequent positive feeling. Moreover, love is the emotion that includes many other emotions and feelings, such as gratitude, interest, joy, awe and more. Love is an extremely strong feeling of affection and it is the feeling that makes people feel good, feel happy and it makes the life as beautiful as it is. |
While it seems easier to express positive emotions, generally speaking, we are not thankful enough to others. Positive emotions enhance resilience or positive adaptation in the midst of adversities. Resilient people use positive emotions to bounce back from negative emotional experiences and can flexibly adapt to changing demands in stressful situation.
Emotions are often a subtle mix of positive and negative. To express emotions, it is important to have the ability to precisely describe the feeling around you. Hence, you should say more than just that you feel a little bit stress, you are not happy or that you are alright to the others. It is essential that you take time to observe your own feelings and be attentive to your inner feelings. Therefore, you need to examine the situation to be able to articulate your challenging thoughts.
If, for example, you are upset about a situation at work, you have the right to confront your colleagues regarding their attitude. However, it is imperative that you use some non-threatening explanation to ensure that the problem is not seen as a personal attack. Stating the facts, explain what your concern is so it will facilitate a meaningful discussion that may lead to a solution and therefore prevent misunderstanding.
Emotions can influence people to reaction aggressively when confronted by someone’s behaviour or comments and the initial response should be to remain calm. Moreover, when feelings are expressed, it is very crucial to listen to what the other has to say.
The expression of feeling is not unilateral. To rebuild a stronger and healthier relationship you share what you feel and allow the other to do the same. Often, it helps you to see things from a different point of view and then you will be able to appreciate the diversity of how others think.
The body is the principal vehicle of emotion. Body language displays our true feelings. Generally, we see if someone is sad, happy or upset and we feel the emotion before it is verbalised. A happy person will not have the same face, the same attitude, the same way of moving as someone who is sad.
Culture and education sometimes, restrict this natural ability to express true feelings. Some people avoid showing emotions, nether sadness nor happiness, often worried about how others will perceive it and use it against them. We are all using a mask to hide emotion. How many people smile when in fact they are suffering internally or feeling lonely? As a child, we are often told to put on a brave face in order to look good.
It does not mean to automatically complain to others when a problem occurs, that is not the actual idea. Instead, it is important to show your emotions to the people you love and explain how you really feel. Furthermore, body language allows you to enter into a relationship with another. Let us learn how to express our true feelings, it is a richness that we have to use. It facilitates communication and closeness to others so you should exploit it in your relationships.
Recent Comments