Too much of a good thing is bad for us. Anyone with a chocolate addiction can relate to the sugar high or the zits that pop up all over their face. But did you know that bad traits are sometimes good for us? The self-help community sometimes has this notion that we need to live in perpetual bliss, always thinking positive thoughts and taking anger and Worry out of the equation. While it's a great idea to think positive thoughts, there are some positives to thinking negatively as well.
Don't worry about worrying
Make sure you call your mother. She's worried about you.
But don't worry; it's good for her health. In a recent study done at the University of California, Riverside by psychology professor Kate Sweeny and published in Social and Personality Psychology Compass, worrying can be used as a motivational tool and lead people to avoid unpleasant events in their life.
For example, those who worried like Goldilocks (not too much worry, not worrying enough) were motivated to take preventative measures against cancer. They were more likely to put on sunscreen and go to the doctor for their yearly physicals. Worrying also creates a buffer for emotional distress. If you are worried about the worst possible outcome, you're more likely to be happy with any result that's not the worst thing imaginable.
Basically, a good experience is heightened when compared to a bad experience.
Let out the inner beast
Most people never want to "lose their cool," acting calm on the outside while their inner turmoil rages inside. But according to PsyBlog, this actually hurts more than letting a little anger show. Showing anger helps with any relationships.
If your partner doesn't know you're angry, they're trying to solve a puzzle, making them feel uncomfortable. But if you let your anger show in small doses, then the both of you can find a solution to the problem, making for a better relationship overall.
Besides making relationships better, anger is a motivating force and provides people with insight into their own problems.
And in a weird twist, anger makes people more optimistic and reduces violence. Anger is that necessary release valve for everybody. But too much anger can lead to less optimism and more violence, so be careful that your life doesn't go to hell.
What in tarnation? We can cuss?
If you swear to sometimes swear, you will live a healthier life. When you are hurt, cussing actually helps reduce the pain you're feeling at the moment. Or if you want to push your body to the limits while working out, a couple of swear words can help you get stronger.
According to Professor Richard Stephens, senior lecturer in physchology at Keele University, the cuss words you use "triggers a well-known stress-induced analgesia" as part of your body's fight-or-flight response to the challenge that lies ahead of you. You will have the power to "overcome an aggressor or make a swift getaway."
So what the hell are you waiting for?
