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The Positive Power of Negative Emotions

On sale

6th October 2016

Price: £14.99

British Psychological Society Book Award, 2017

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Selected: Paperback / ISBN-13: 9780349412849

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The pursuit of happiness is universal. Most of us would like to experience more joy and elation, but when we feel like we are falling short of this ideal, we can often feel downcast. We may even see ‘darker’ emotional states, like anger and envy, as character defects or serious illnesses.

In The Positive Power of Negative Emotions, Dr Tim Lomas reveals that these ‘negative’ feelings are not only normal and natural, but may in fact serve as pathways to the very happiness and flourishing that we seek.

Anger can signal that you’ve been treated unfairly and push you towards change. Guilt suggests that you have let yourself down, and drives you to be better. Envy can motivate you to improve yourself and your life. Boredom can be a gateway to creativity and self-transcendence. Loneliness allows your authentic voice to be heard, and teaches self-sufficiency.

The Positive Power of Negative Emotions will be your guide to using your darker feelings to discover what you really want and the person you want to be. It will radically change the way you think about your emotional life, and empower you to use your negative feelings in positive ways.

Reviews

Daily Mail
A truly inspirational new book
Oliver Burkeman, author of The Antidote
This book is far more than an argument for tolerating bad feelings. Drawing on philosophy, the arts, psychology and personal experience, Tim Lomas shows how sadness, anxiety, anger and the rest can be a path to growth. His surprisingly uplifting message is that learning to harness our negative emotions will expand our capacity for joy
Professor Stephen Joseph, author of Authentic: How to be yourself and why it matters
Although we might not want to face our feelings of fear, sadness, and loneliness, these are the body's warning lights. In this useful and enjoyable book, Tim Lomas shows how our feelings give us the clues for how to make a better life. Learn to listen to your inner voice of wisdom