Think of the last time you were genuinely, viscerally sad. A point so low that it was worth remembering. Colors were duller, nothing could cheer you up, no matter how badly you wanted it. I can think of mine pretty quickly. It was awful. Now try and remember the last time you were angry. Really angry, ready-to-punch-a-hole-in-the-wall-if-it-wouldn't-hurt-so-bad angry. Neither of these emotions are fun. They disrupt our lives, and make us ignore the good when the bad is so overwhelming.
Could you find a way to be grateful for them and the misery they bring?
I heard a quote a while back that struck me: "Emotions are necessary. Without them we would simply exist." Feeling down is awful. Intense anger is frightening. But what about the opposites of these feelings? The rush of pure joy when you get good news, tastebuds coming alive with the first bite of a favorite food, or the chemical reaction from a kiss shared with someone you love. These are the highs of life. The bright moments, the ones that make it all worth it. But without the capacity to feel both sides, we'd just be numb. Unable to feel happy or sad, our lives would be one big shade of grey.
The weird thing is how the bad makes us appreciate the good even more. Seeing a news story about earthquake survivors finally being rescued makes us happier than if we had never known they were trapped beforehand. Finally leaving the house after being bedridden for days makes a routine task seem glorious.
Our brains are wired to crave dopamine, and the good in life is obviously what makes it worth it. But consider the removal of both sides. Just existing. I'd rather live instead.
"A Single Seed" is my attempt to get out one idea every day that I've learned or accumulated over the years, with the hope that it may stick in someone else's memory bank as well. The idea may be related to fitness, business, life, or philosophy, but I think you'll find that many can change domains if you wish them to. With each seed planted, a new life awaits.
Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/crdot/5510507276