Humans experience a vast and beautiful spectrum of emotions, yet from an early age, many of us are taught to ignore or suppress certain ones. Society often labels emotions like sadness, anger, and fear as “negative” and encourages us to embrace only the “positive” ones, like happiness, joy, and excitement. We hear messages like, “Don’t cry,” “Don’t be upset,” or “Stay strong.” The emphasis is always on quickly moving back to a smile, finding a reason to laugh, and pushing through. But did you know that humans can experience about 27 distinct emotions? This raises an essential question: if we’re capable of feeling such a range, why are we encouraged to avoid or suppress so many of them? Why are only certain emotions embraced?

One reason might be a fear of getting “stuck” in these feelings—that if we allow ourselves to feel sadness, anger, or grief, we won’t be able to pull ourselves back. But in pushing these emotions away, we risk losing touch with ourselves. We begin to rely heavily on logic and rationality, or worse, we numb ourselves entirely, hiding these difficult emotions deep inside. And while there’s nothing wrong with being logical, balance is key. By embracing our emotions, we can fully experience life and build deeper, more meaningful relationships.

What if, instead of being told to ignore these emotions, we were taught how to manage and understand them? Imagine if we learned to hold space for ourselves during moments of sadness, frustration, or grief while knowing we wouldn’t be overwhelmed by them. We could feel sadness about one part of our lives and still feel gratitude for another. Balance isn’t a constant 50-50; some days, it may look like 60-40, or even 80-20. What matters is that we allow ourselves the flexibility to feel it all, knowing that each emotion has its place and purpose.

There are countless tools and resources available to help us build this emotional resilience. Practices like mindfulness, journaling, therapy, and breath-work can all guide us in learning to embrace our full range of emotions. When we learn to regulate and make peace with all parts of ourselves, we open the door to a more authentic and fulfilling life, one where we aren’t just “fine” or “okay” but fully alive, experiencing everything our human journey has to offer.

Embracing all emotions is about understanding that every feeling is a part of our story and our humanity. Each one deserves a space, a voice, and compassion. By welcoming our entire emotional spectrum, we don’t just survive—we thrive.