5 Healthy Behaviors You Probably Think Are Negative
Today’s society gives us some guidelines about what are correct and healthy behaviors. From childhood, our families, schools and teachers tell us how we should act. We are instructed in what we should do and what we should not do. They tell us how we should and should not treat others.
In the end , we learn a series of norms to be able to relate to others and be accepted in society. If we do not accept and follow these standards, we will not be accepted. It is a simple and straightforward process.
To keep certain emotions in a public place, to control our reactions… these are things we have internalized in order to be in line with the behavior of someone else who is accepted. But what happens if everything we suppress is positive rather than negative?
One of the reasons for holding back and suppressing certain emotions and behaviors, such as crying, is because it is considered to demonstrate weakness and vulnerability. But what if that is not really the case? What if society is wrong?
Today we are going to show how certain types of behaviors that are considered negative can actually be healthy behaviors. We will learn to see these types of behaviors from a different perspective. We may even prove that it is not good to continue to oppress them. Are you ready to discover them and change your perspective?
Anger is much more than just feeling angry. When we feel anger, it feels like we’re going to explode, if we have not already done so. Exploding in that way is not a socially accepted behavior, and if we express anger, we can be perceived negatively.
But is it better to suppress it? If we do, it will be like a pressure cooker. Sooner or later, circumstances will overflow and everything will explode. We will ultimately not be able to control our anger, and we may lose control of everything.
This can be very harmful in the long run. Building on us anger can cause emotions such as rejection, hatred, and resentment to pile up. We should never ignore or accumulate anger. Expressing it will help free us from this feeling. Not expressed, it can only cause more harm and offers nothing beneficial.
A study conducted at Utrecht University showed that when people feel anger and express it, they are more capable of achieving their goals, and even grow to become more consistent and stronger people.
Is there anyone who has not felt lost in life at least once? At certain times in our lives, we have all felt as if we simply did not know how to act, what to do, or how to behave. This is perfectly normal, but it’s a feeling we generally do not accept. We are afraid of feeling lost, and this can cause great anxiety. We feel we are losing time and losing control of everything.
However, this could not be more wrong. Feeling a little lost will only help us to pay attention to what we have around us. Our senses will be more alert and we will listen to our emotions in a deeper and more effective way. We will be able to observe ourselves and our surroundings, and this will help us find our true path.
Sometimes it is necessary to get lost in oneself in order to find oneself.
Crying is something that we learn to control as we get older. When we are small children, we cry over small things. When we are adults, however, it is considered immature behavior. Therefore , we have learned how to suppress tears that, when shed in front of others, can put us in an awkward situation. We are vulnerable and appear to be weak and fragile people.
But crying is very beneficial and one of the healthy behaviors we should really adopt. It can relieve all emotions that cause us pain, that make us suffer, that seem endless and overwhelming. Is it not true that we usually feel better after crying for a while? This is because crying has the ability to liberate, and it is something we cannot ignore or live without.
If you have to cry, cry. Release all your frustration, pain and other emotions you feel, and regain the feeling of inner balance.
Learning to listen can be very difficult. Many people actually think they are good listeners, but others usually do not agree. It is true that it is good to listen, but that does not always have to be the case. What do we mean more precisely by that? If we do not listen to certain opinions or certain criticisms, we do not feel compelled or pressured to act in one way or another.
Sometimes we worry too much about what other people think or say about us. When this happens, we lose the part of ourselves that is most genuine. Learning to listen, but also to turn a deaf ear to things that do not really benefit us, can therefore be a very positive behavior.
Not listening does not mean ignoring or excluding others in a group. Not listening in this way simply means that you are wise. This means that you know your limits and that we should never feel pressured by the words of others.
Adapting to circumstances and situations is something that is expected of us as human beings. But what if we can not adapt, no matter how hard we try? Maybe we feel that we do not fit into our work environment or in certain social contexts… If so, why does it matter ?! We must learn to distance ourselves from these types of situations. We can search beyond them to find a place we really feel at home.
There is no need to adapt to everything. This type of behavior will only make us place more emphasis on our “comfort zone”. It prevents us from exploring new opportunities where we can feel more fulfilled.
Reflect on these five types of healthy behaviors that seem negative, but can actually have positive effects. Learn how to express them as you should, but never let go of them. Everything in moderation is healthy. It is also healthy and important to question our beliefs about what is socially acceptable and to consider that society may actually be wrong.
Photos by Michael Cheval, Vladimir Kush and Nicoletta Ceccoli.
