GREENSBORO, N.C. — Why are people uncomfortable about expressing negative emotions? I’m not talking about being mean or hateful because that’s inappropriate. I’m talking about admitting and telling others that we have negative feelings. We experience a full range of emotions, yet we don’t like to admit it or downplay the negativity.
You tend to downplay negative emotions in indirect ways. Someone might actually be annoyed at something or someone’s behavior. Instead of saying that they’re annoyed, they might say that they’re confused. It’s an indirect way of letting people know you feel negativity but in gentler terms. Denying your emotions is a refusal to accept yourself completely. We’re made to feel a full range of emotions, from happiness to anger and everything in between.
Negative emotions are protective. Think about it. When something bad happens to you, as someone cuts you off while driving or insults you, you get angry. The anger is self-protective because it causes you to take action to avoid a similar situation from happening, and it allows you to speak up for yourself. It can help you avoid letting someone take advantage of you or hurt you.
You avoid letting people know that you feel negative emotions as image control. For whatever reason, we think that if we show or admit negative feelings, then it makes us look bad. No, it doesn’t make you look bad. It makes you human. The issue isn’t having negative emotions. The issue is the way you express negative emotions.
Share your thoughts on my Facebook page: Blanca Cobb – Body Language Expert. Write a message on my timeline, and I’ll get back to you. While you’re on my page, I’d appreciate it if you give my page a “like.”