It's probably safe to say that 2020 hasn’t been a nonstop party. Odds are the coronavirus and all that came with it (social distancing, remote learning, waaay more family time than you might be used to) has made you angry, stressed, lonely, and bored—sometimes all in the same day. Those emotions can be uncomfortable, even scary. But want to hear something crazy? All those feels can actually be good for you. “Negative experiences and emotions can drive us toward creative expression and a desire to make changes,” says Dr. Eugene Beresin, executive director of the MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds in Boston.
Think about it: If you felt totally content all the time, you’d never be motivated to make positive changes in your life. Plus, experiencing negative emotions helps you develop the skills to handle adversity, which means the next time you’re feeling down, you’ll be better equipped to deal with it. The trick is learning to harness those big, powerful feelings to make positive changes in your life and your world. Read on to find out how.