Do you ever feel sad, or even worse, sad for no reason at all? We are all very uncomfortable with this emotion because it has such a negative reputation. Sadness can be very difficult to fully express because, to most of us, it means failure and disappointment and if we let it, it will envelop and consume us and it may never go away. We simply don’t know how to deal with it.

Yet it is still just one of the seven basic human emotions, and they are part of us in our everyday existence. We need not run from sadness, it is a sign that something inside us isn’t right and we need to feel it and express it. Covering it up with anger or pretending to smile won’t do you any good, you need to face the underlying emotion and understand why you feel that way. This is why we sometimes think we are sad for no reason, we suppress the sadness and then it remains and bubbles up at times when it seems unrelated.

What makes you feel sad? Sometimes it could be your own expectations, you want more out of life, thought better of someone, trusted the wrong person or any other way in which your high expectations weren’t met. Perhaps that little voice inside your head became a little too critical.

Humans are social animals and need each other to survive and sadness reminds us of that. Sadness compel people to avoid loss and invest in relationships. It is painful for us to be separated from the ones we love, but it’s not all doom and gloom.

Sadness can help us make better judgements, we tend to see people for what they really are when we are sad as we are more attentive to detail. You may also be more motivated to take action away from what is currently making you sad, which can be a good thing. Negative emotions can help you gain a new perspective on life and guide you to understand what you really want.

Sadness is as much part of you as joy and you can’t have the one without the other. Appreciate your sadness, welcome it when it visits you and by owning it, you can let it go.