Giving Ourselves Permission to Feel Bad

When we feel really bad about something and we look toward others for social support, what are we really searching for?

Do we want them to give us positive advice and make us feel better about our situation, or do we want them to just accept our feelings and let us know they are healthy and normal to have?

In a recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers looked at how individuals can best provide social support to those who suffer from negative emotions and low self-esteem.

What they found was that individuals with low self-esteem didn’t respond well to advice like “cheer up” or “look on the bright side.” Instead, the type of social support they were looking for was negative validation.

Creativity and Happiness

For those who have been following this blog for a long time, you know that I usually like to take a very comprehensive and thorough approach to happiness and mental health. And one big part of that puzzle, to me, is creativity. Often times, creativity can provide us with many benefits. It helps keep our (more…)