The Five Natural Emotions and How to Handle Them

love emotion

Emotions, referred to as the generic term for subjective, conscious experiences accompanied with physio-psychological expressions, emotions are what set us apart from all other living creatures. They are what motivate a person, and if harnessed correctly, they can be highly instrumental in achieving his goals. Used negatively, they can be just as destructive and can cause a person to do things he may likely regret in the long run. This article will focus on the five natural emotions (grief, anger, envy, fear and love), why we feel them, and what their positive and negative sides are.


It is the pain a person feels when he loses a prized possession or a beloved. It is the natural coping mechanism from a broken attachment and should never be suppressed.  If dealt with incorrectly, it can lead to depression, or mental illness in worse cases. The positive side of grief is that it makes a person realize how short life really is. This can give more focus and a renewed vitality in achieving one’s goals.


Anger is a person’s natural response when threatened or provoked. Left uncontrolled, it can lead to rage, which may drive him to commit violent acts. The constant stress associated with anger can cause health problems like headache, insomnia, high blood pressure and stroke.  Anger has always been interpreted as a negative emotion, but it actually has a positive side to it. It is a natural reaction when you feel oppressed and it’s actually a way of conveying justice. Some studies have also proven that anger in some people has led to self-examination of their own faults and can actually motivate change.


[wp_ad_camp_4] This is the resentful emotion that lurks within a person who wants something other people have. The negative side of envy is that it can cause you to wish misfortune on others.  Instead of dwelling on malicious thoughts, it would be more beneficial to use this emotion as motivation to be more productive. Many prominent people and tycoons acknowledge envy as an essential catalyst in building their financial empires.  Envy has also been credited by some philosophers as the driving force behind political concepts such as social justice, equality, and democracy.

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Fear is a survival mechanism when there is a threat of pain or danger. Just like anger and envy, pain is perceived in a negative sense when in fact, it is only harmful when it paralyzes you and causes inaction. The saying maybe considered a cliche but can be held valid: “face your fears; live your dreams.” Instead of getting paralyzed, conquer your fears and use them to push you beyond your limits. Using this emotion can awaken hidden resources you didn’t even know were there.


It arises from a sense of strong affection or personal bond. It is mainly considered as a positive emotion, but it also has a negative side to it. In some cases, a person can go as far as to hurt somebody in the name of love.  It’s ironic that such an emotion can cause violence. Nevertheless, love is the most powerful of all human emotions, and just like the other four emotions, you can utilize to your advantage.


This was not a scientific study but was an outline by Neale Donald Walsch.  Just some food for thought.

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