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37 Positive Emotions That Make You Healthier

and Happier

11-13 minutes

All emotions have their appropriate place and time, but positive
emotions are the ones most of us prefer to have more
frequently, with maybe a light scattering of negative ones to
prove we’re still human.

And yet, we often find ways to make ourselves miserable, and

then we wonder why we catch every bug that’s going around.

It’s no longer a leap to see the connection between our

emotions and our physical (as well as mental) health. In
essence, the more time we spend with positive emotions that
are in congruence with our core truth, the healthier we are.

And because what we feel is tied to what we believe and to the

words we use to express those beliefs, we can make more
room for positive feelings by eliminating the beliefs and the
language that are hostile to them.

First, though, we need to know what emotions are and why

they’re so powerful.

What are emotions?

Generally speaking, an emotion is a felt response to something

that affects you in some way. Depending on whom you ask,
emotions can either be an involuntary response to something
(like a reflex) or a chosen response (like a judgment).

However you see them, the emotions you feel have a profound
effect on every aspect of your life, from your relationships to
the quality of your work to your longevity and overall health.

As much as we usually enjoy positive emotions more than

negative ones, though, we actually need both.

Why we need positive emotions.

Take a look at some of the benefits of positive emotions:

Better health and productivity

Stronger relationships
More effective coping strategies and greater resilience
Protection against cognitive decline
Better productivity and more effective work
More effective leadership and enhanced job performance
A greater feeling of connectedness to others

Taking the time to cultivate and to mindfully enjoy positive

emotions helps us to grow and makes us better able to
contribute to the happiness of others.

But positive emotions aren’t the only ones that make life worth
living.

Negative emotions serve a purpose too.

Nobody wants to feel negative emotions all the time, but their
negativity doesn’t make them “bad.”

Fear can actually save your life, and anxiety and discontent can
both motivate you to change things or get things done. It’s
when those emotions stay with you long after you need them
that you have problems, like these:

Emotional eating and its consequent health problems

Chronic pain and inflammation
Difficulty sleeping and chronic fatigue
Problems with digestion and elimination
Depression and hopelessness
Tightness in the chest, tachycardia, arrhythmia

It can also be a problem if the emotions themselves are more

intense than you need them to be to get yourself out of a bad
situation. Fear can heighten your awareness and motivate you
to take necessary action (fight or flight); too much fear, though,
can paralyze you.

But negative emotions can be appropriate and even beneficial

under the right circumstances.

Maybe you can think of a time when you needed a negative

emotion like anger to get out of a job or a relationship that was
harmful to you. Only after you did what anger helped you to do
were you then able to enjoy the positive emotions that came
afterward.

List of 37 Positive Emotions

You can no doubt think of more, but let’s consider the following
37 positive emotions. As you go down the positive emotions
list, take a moment to think of a time when you felt each one.

Visualize that moment and try to feel its corresponding

emotion with the same intensity. Don’t be surprised if you
remember other, less positive emotions associated with the
same memories.

Sometimes anger is the prelude to triumph. Sometimes

sadness leads us to a moment of awe and admiration. And
guilt can make us eager to become better examples to others.

Sometimes that very guilt and shame we feel can make it

easier to forgive others the hurt they’ve caused us.

There’s power in knowing that the context (which includes your

response to it) rather than the feeling itself is what makes it
either beneficial or harmful. See if you can find proof of this as
you go through your own memories of each positive emotion in
this list.

1. Admiration

Think of this as approval with a dash of awe — often with

respect to a person you look up to.

2. Affection

This is a warm feeling directed toward someone (or a pet)

whose company you enjoy.

3. Attraction

Ever felt a strong inner pull toward something or toward

another person?

4. Altruism

This is the feeling you get when you do something good for
someone else. It can also be an overwhelming desire to show
generosity to others without expecting a return.

Related: 101 Life-Changing Positive Affirmations

5. Amusement

You get this feeling when something takes you by surprise and
makes you laugh or when you find yourself pleasantly
distracted by something.

6. Awe

Think of admiration or gratitude with a touch of reverence.

7. Boldness / Audacity / Daring

Have you ever felt a fearless or fear-defying readiness to step
(or ask) beyond your comfort zone?

8. Bliss

Imagine a state of intense or increased satisfaction or

contentment.

9. Cheerfulness

This is what you feel when you’re noticeably happy and upbeat.
You might just think of it as “being in a good mood.”

10. Compassion

Imagine feeling a strong sympathy and concern for the

sufferings of others.

11. Confidence

Think of this as a feeling of calm trust in your abilities or

qualities — or a certainty that something is true.

12. Contentment

When you feel content, you’re genuinely happy and satisfied

with your current state of reality.

13. Eagerness

Have you ever felt a passionate readiness to do or experience

something?

Related: 29 Uplifting Quotes To Help You Stop Overthinking

14. Elevation

This is the feeling you get when you see someone go above
and beyond the normal level of kindness, generosity, and
compassion.

15. Empowerment

To feel this is to feel endowed with the power to do something

(or anything).

16. Enjoyment / Delight

Think of how you feel when you take pleasure in something or

find joy in it.

17. Enthusiasm

Imagine yourself feeling an energetic and optimistic interest in

something.

18. Euphoria
To feel euphoric is to feel an intense, giddy happiness or
elation.

19. Excitement

This is a state of agitated and optimistic anticipation — often in

regards to something that’s about to happen or something you
want to do.

20. Freedom

Imagine a strong feeling of self-determination or of having just

been liberated from a type of slavery.

21. Forgiveness

The power of this emotion is in its readiness to let go of any ill

will toward someone who has hurt you and to want only good
for them instead.

22. Gratitude

The power of gratitude is in its readiness to show thankfulness

for something or for all the goodness in your life.

Related: 37 Quotes On Gratitude To Shower People You Love

23. Goodwill

Imagine the feeling of wanting only good things for someone

and wanting a good life for that person, regardless of whether
the feeling is mutual.

24. Hope

Hope is more often associated with faith or trust than with

arbitrarily choosing to expect everything to turn out well. It
goes beyond mere optimism to embrace and hold onto a
promise of ultimate happiness.
25. Happiness

Genuine happiness is a feeling of intense and unshakable well-

being regarding your current state of reality.

26. Inspiration

Think of when you’ve felt mentally stimulated to do or to create

something.

27. Interest

Imagine the feeling of wanting to know more about something

or someone that has caught your attention.

28. Joy

When you feel this intense delight or happiness, it’s often

because of something that has happened or because of
something someone did.

29. Love

The emotion of love is a feeling of profound affection for

someone and an intense desire to serve that person’s best
interest. It can also include a desire for a closer relationship.
30. Optimism

When you feel optimistic, you have confidence that things will
work out to your advantage and/or to someone else’s.

31. Pride

Imagine feeling a deep satisfaction in the accomplishment of

something or a strong appreciation for your own worth or
dignity.

32. Revelation

Think of a moment when you suddenly realized a profound and

life-changing truth (an epiphany).

33. Satisfaction

Satisfaction implies both gratification and approval with regard

to an experience or an occurrence.

34. Serenity

Have you ever felt an unshakable calm or tranquility

irrespective of your circumstances?

35. Surprise (the good kind)

Think of surprise as a feeling of pleasant astonishment or

stunned satisfaction over a sudden or an unexpected
experience or occurrence.

36. Triumph

Remember the feeling of having achieved a great victory or of

having prevailed over a challenge.

37. Worthiness

To feel worthy is to feel good enough and deserving of

something good.

Observe Your Feelings And Emotions

Sometimes, the words we use to express what we believe

aren’t compatible with feelings of worthiness, self-confidence,
or personal pride.

But when a negative emotion like discontent or anger becomes

stronger than your feelings of shame and unworthiness, it can
be the trumpet blast that leads the charge and heralds a
change in your beliefs.

It can begin by asking questions:

Is this belief based on the truth or on what I’ve been

conditioned to believe?
Is this belief helping me become the person I want to be?
Does this belief make me feel more — or less — connected
to others?

And once you’ve replaced outdated and harmful beliefs with

more empowering ones, discontent can yield its place to
positive emotions like gratitude, hope, and joy.

Good Emotions

Good emotions are those that are consistent with the truth;
they represent an appropriate response to the way things are —
inside and out.

But while your subconscious knows the difference between

real and fake emotions (and your body will reflect what it
knows), you can make more room for positive emotions even
before you’ve rejected all the beliefs that hold you back.

For one, you can practice being more grateful. You can spend
more time enjoying and taking delight in the good things you
have. And you can forgive others, even when it’s not the first
response that comes to mind when you think of them. Forgive
them for your own sake, so you can replace that stubborn and
painful resentment with serenity and goodwill.

Good emotions — both positive and negative — can work

together to help you put your house in order. What will you start
with today?

Did you find this article useful? Spread the love!

I hope this article has helped clarify the role of emotions —

both positive and negative — in your life and in the lives of
those close to you.

Whatever kind of day you’re having, remember that the words

you use to express what you believe and what you feel about
something impacts everything you do.

You don’t have to use positive feeling words all the time, either.
Sometimes, it makes more sense to acknowledge a negative
emotion and give it its due — as long as it doesn’t stick around
longer than you need it.

If you’ve found value in this article, I hope you’ll share it with

others and encourage them to pass it on. The more we share
what has helped us grow, the more we contribute to the growth
of others. It’s a win-win.

Keep on winning.