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Are you feeling depressed, negative, lost? If so, here’s how challenges make you stronger, better, wiser (even happier).
There’s a lot of new research lately – about something called “emodiversity.”
This word is short for “emotional diversity.”
Emodiversity is a theory all about how we humans need the full spectrum of experiences and emotions in order to be happy. We need both the good and the crappy.
Basically…we cannot expect to constantly live in a perpetual state of joy.
If we want to be our happiest selves, we must embrace both the bitter and the sweet…the beautiful and painful.
And if we face these challenges with the right attitude, we’ll become stronger, better, wiser – and even happier.
Yep, according to the belief system of “emodiversity.” feeling depressed sometimes is actually good for us in the long run.
“Adults who experience a greater diversity of both positive and negative emotions report fewer symptoms of depression and fewer days spent in a hospital.”
Yes, you read that correctly!
Ironically, you can experience less depression if you allow yourself to feel negative emotions on a regular basis.
Why?
Because studies are revealing that experiencing a “diversity of emotions” (aka: feeling crappy at times) helps to bring us those famed treasured life perks:
These 3 perks wind up bringing us a deeper, more true feeling of happiness – often referred to as “fulfillment.”
They compare it to “biodiversity” – and how flora and fauna flourish best when their physical environment is “biodiverse.”
Psychologists likewise explain that when we go through challenges – and experience a rich range of emotions – we “flourish.”
In many ways this new modern topic of “emotional diversity” reminds me of something Viktor Frankl wrote about.
Frankl wrote one of the biggest bestselling books of all time – called “Man’s Search For Meaning” – where he said:
“There is meaning and value in suffering. Challenges help you to become something greater than you might have been.”
When you endure challenges – and choose to be mentally strong by staying awake to your feelings – then you wind up growing into your best self!
It’s okay if you are NOT happy every single day of your life.
It’s okay if you only seize the every other day of life.
But then after you feel the full, rich color spectrum of “emodiversity,” you must (eventually) dust yourself off, and begin the work of digging around in the “shitty stuff of life” – looking for buried golden nuggets of insight and sparkling gems of purpose and growth.
You new mantra and life motto: “I am stronger than my challenges. My challenges are making me stronger.”