Throughout our lives, we are taught not to focus on negatives and to think positively. We are taught to be optimistic, resilient, and to believe in ourselves so we can overcome whatever challenges life throws at us.

While that may be an over simplification, there are definitely those who encourage others to think positively, no matter what, even to the detriment of their mental health and sanity.

As a result, sadness is often overlooked and is usually seen as a purely negative thing. We do not want to think about it and would rather live without it. But sadness is a raw and powerful emotion. It allows us to acknowledge that something has been lost, and we must make peace with that before we can start the process of recovery.

Our most lasting memories are often tinged with sadness, and other negative emotions, along with joy. Our most harrowing experiences can make us laugh as we are able to see how far we have come from then and our most joyful experiences can make us melancholic, as we recognize what has been lost since then.

So, rather than disregarding sadness, it may do you good to embrace it. People need inspiration and acknowledging loss and sadness can create the motivation needed to move on to a brighter future. Read on to understand the role of sadness in your daily life:

The Power of Authenticity

Nobody likes someone who is disingenuous. It makes them seem like they don’t believe their own hype and either that they don’t know what they’re talking about or they’re trying to sell you something. Someone who is more authentic will resonate far more strongly with others, rather than those who attempt to create a surface level facade of perfection. Ironically, those who project such false positivity are far more likely miserable themselves but are too proud to admit it.

Authenticity is often the foundation of building a more fulfilling life, whether it be in who you are, what you want, or how you feel. Those who are able to be open about how they are struggling and are able to share their experiences with sadness will appear more authentic, like they are just another person.

Additionally, those who are authentic about their feelings are better able to work through them and be able to overcome whatever adversity they may face. So when they are feeling positive and happy, it really means something.

Sadness Builds Connections

Sadness is an emotion everyone has experienced at some point and can create a connection between people. Those who have gone through similar traumas or losses often have a deep connection, as they have an idea of what the other person went through and empathizes with them. It also makes the other person feel like they have someone they can open up to about these feelings and allows for a depth of connection that those who simply have fun with each other do not often have.

Opening up about your sadness can also deepen an already existing connection. Talking to your friends about your struggles shows that you trust them and that you believe they are a source of emotional security and comfort from them. It may also give the one you are opening up to an invitation to open themselves up to you, as they see by trusting and seeking comfort from them, they can do the same from you.

While having someone you can have a great time with is one thing, one you can cry on the shoulder of is one of the most powerful connections in the world, created from an atmosphere of emotional validation.

Sadness as a Catalyst for Inspiration

Sadness is often seen as a depressant among emotions, something that can demotivate someone and make them want to do nothing. However, pathos, and by extension sadness, can be one of the most powerful tools in our toolkits when it comes to crafting narratives, whether it be in storytelling, motivational speaking, advertisements, etc. It can be used to craft a message, to inspire others, or for something as simple as catharsis.

In storytelling, sadness and melancholy is one of the best tools in order to add depth to them. While a story being fun and exciting is good, showing vulnerability, moments of grief, despair, or loss, and showing the darker, more sobering, sides of the world, can add a sense of realness and emotional connection to the story.
Thus stories of those who emerge stronger on the other side can inspire such strength in others and can even give others hope and determination when facing their own struggles. It also gives the audience a safe space to feel those same emotions and make it easier for them to work through those emotions, like watching a sad movie after a loss or a sad song after a particularly hard day.

Seeing that vulnerability in others can allow us to reflect and can inspire us to face these adversities in our own lives and make us want to help others who face them if we have the power to.

Building Emotional Resilience

Finally, being able to embrace your own sadness can make you a stronger person. We do not get strength from avoiding hardship, quite the opposite actually. We need to face hardship in order to become stronger and the same especially applies to our emotional strength. Sadness is not something to be feared or ashamed of, it is something necessary for us to grow. Embracing and overcoming your sadness will make you better at facing future hardships and will build your resilience towards hardship.

However, it is important to know, much like how you should not needlessly put yourself in difficult situations or overextend yourself through overworking your body or doing things too difficult for your body to handle, the same applies to your emotions. You should not needlessly make yourself more miserable, wallow in sadness, or face difficulties you are not ready to face.

When it comes to overcoming sadness, it is important to know when you are ready to tackle a part of yourself that is difficult to understand. Knowing yourself and when you are ready to face these emotions is just as important as building up the courage to face them.