The Unusual Path to Feeling Good
Accepting unpleasant emotions often leads to the benefits of a feel-good mindset.
In early March of this year, I was not feeling good.
At 2 A.M., a text lit up my phone. I got up to read it, knowing my curiosity wouldn’t let me sleep. It was a message that I had tested positive for Covid-19.
Later that week, my entire family of five would test positive. Yes, we had tried to be safe by always wearing masks in public and constantly applying hand sanitizer. But we also hadn’t sheltered in isolation in our home.
Fortunately, we all recovered. But I took the longest. Of course, as the mom, I had exhausted myself taking care of the rest of my family to get them back to health.
But there was another reason why my recovery slowed and stalled.
Besides the physical ailments, the emotional toll was more intense than I ever expected. Since I was the one that showed symptoms first, I drove myself crazy, wondering where or when I got infected and what I did wrong.
I couldn’t escape the guilt that I had brought the virus into our home. And I grieved all those that weren’t as fortunate as us to survive.
Accept Your Unpleasant Emotions
The path to feeling good isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. Sometimes you have to go through the heavily wooded forest of your lowest emotions to reach your oasis of contentment.
It’s impossible to feel good, happy, and positively upbeat all the time. You can try, but the irony is that you’ll likely make yourself miserable in the process. Instead, accept your feelings, give yourself time to heal, and be kind to yourself with self-care.
One of the best things I did in my recovery was acknowledging all of my emotions, even the most difficult ones. The morning that I lost my taste and smell, causing my beloved coffee to taste like boiled water, I wept. After giving myself time and space to give in to the guilt, the grief, and the fears, I felt lighter and less burdened by them.
Psychology backs up my experience. According to the American Psychological Association research, allowing yourself to accept and feel your every emotion, even ones considered unpleasant, results in greater contentment.
Returning to a Feeling Good
My path to regaining my health started with adjusting my mindset.
After accepting my negative emotions, I leaned into gratitude for the loving messages and gifts from family and friends. I went outside on one of the first warm days of the year and took a short walk with a fully vaccinated friend, six feet apart and wearing masks.
Feeling good is often overlooked as a bonus. It’s something many of us reserve for the weekend or a vacation. But I’m here to tell you that feeling good is vitally important.
When you’re ready and able to return to a feel-good mindset, everything will not only seem better; it will be better.
3 Benefits of a Feel Good Mindset
Whether in everyday living or at your workplace, a positive mindset results in multiple benefits, from your health to your brain function to helping others. And, if you’re into spiritual wisdom, feeling good is one of the main principles for attracting more abundance into your life.
Good Vibes Make You Healthier
Beyond my personal story of recovering from Covid-19, multiple scientific studies reveal that feeling good significantly improves your overall health. It can lead to a more robust immune system and improved heart health.
According to a wide range of research, a feel-good disposition can increase the longevity of your life. It makes sense that if you’re consistently positive, you’re more likely to make healthier choices, feel less stressed, and have a reason to wake up in the morning.
Feeling good feels good in your body. Several studies found that individuals that consider themselves happier report fewer aches and pains.
A Positive Mindset Leads to Positive Results
When you feel good, you naturally gain greater productivity. Many companies have found investing in their employee’s positive state of mind results in a boost to their bottom line. According to a study for the University of Warwick, happier employees tended to be 12% more productive while the productivity of unhappy employees dropped by 10%.
When you’re in a positive state of mind, you’re less stressed. This mindset results in being able to think more clearly and have better decision-making skills. Good vibes can also make you more resilient to obstacles and increase your level of creativity.
It Helps Those Around Us Feel Good
Like a pebble tossed into a still pond, our vibes ripple out to everyone around us. As human beings, we are hard-wired to connect with others.
Our emotions are contagious. Angry people often inspire angry reactions from others. Joyful people receive smiles and laughter in return. Given a choice, why not put out some positivity? And, when you feel good, you’ll naturally look good to others, as well.
And, it works in reverse, too. If you want to feel better, hang out with happier people. Your need to feel included will help you rise to a more positive state of mind.
Final Feel-Good Thoughts
Remember that allowing yourself time to experience all your emotions, even the unpleasant ones, will lead to greater contentment.
Make feeling good a priority and enjoy the many benefits. Your health will improve. You’ll be able to be more productive and more creative. And, you’ll be a person people want to be around.
