Our culture has a strange relationship with sadness.
Despite it being one of the most fundamental emotions that we experience, it’s something that is often not discussed, and certainly never encouraged.
There are a number of cliches that inform the way we view sadness, such as “big girls don’t cry” and “cheer up” – these ideas often run on autopilot in the background.
Emotions, however, are never so simple, they often require that we take a closer look in order to know what we’re dealing with and how we can best handle them.
Here are 29 quotes about sadness to cry it out
Research shows that sadness can have benefits
There are a number of studies, such as those by Dr. Joseph Forgas out of the University of California, Berkeley, which have found that sadness is not only cathartic, but it can improve our memory, make our judgments more accurate, and increase motivation.
Distinguish sadness between depression
A lack of cultural awareness around mental health means that the average person is unable to distinguish between sadness and depression. Though both can propel creative endeavors, depression is a lot more dangerous, and knowing that sadness is temporary can be a useful tool when tackling tough times.
Learn to let go of sadness
When obsession with an event or object becomes habitual, we can often become incredibly sad and distressed at the seemingly unsolvable puzzle that stands in front of us. In these moments we need to understand that we can’t solve a problem at the same level it was created and therefore to let go of sadness may be necessary to look at things afresh. This motif will remain relevant all throughout our lives, as we deal with breakups, illness, death, change and other losses. To let go of sadness, when the time is right, is to allow ourselves space to reflect and gain a new perspective.
Being sad is necessary experience a wide range of emotions
The opponent-process theory of emotion, developed by psychologist Richard Solomon in the 1970’s, states that each emotion is followed by a secondary opposite emotion.While life might not feel so straightforward, the truth is that emotions are contextual, so in order to feel happiness, we must understand what sadness is like. Experiencing a balanced but wide range of emotions is the key to a rich life, and though it may be hard to appreciate sadness in the moment, it still plays a crucial role in our lives.
It’s ok to feel sad
We tend to treat sadness as if it were something wrong. For those experiencing sadness, it can make them feel alienated. It’s important that we look at sadness as a normal part of life, and allow it to be expressed in a healthy way.