LIST OF THE TOP 10 POSITIVE EMOTIONS - GEOGRAFÍA - 2025

The positive emotions are psychophysiological reactions, a reaction both our body and our mind, which appear at a given time. Many times when we talk about emotions we do not know exactly what we are referring to and we often use it as synonyms for exaltation, alteration or shock.

But emotions are not only negative or excited feelings, human beings also have positive emotions, and these are very important for our well-being and our health.

However, it seems that in our society positive emotions do not have much importance, and despite their enormous value, they are not paid much attention.

Knowing what are the positive emotions that humans have and knowing how to manage and increase them correctly, should be a basic knowledge for everyone.

Characteristics of positive emotions

They appear before stimuli

They usually appear when we perceive a stimulus that, due to its qualities or characteristics, produces a certain reaction. For example, if you walk alone down a dark and deserted street, and suddenly you hear a strange noise, it is expected that at that moment you will experience an emotion of fear or alertness.

In the same way, if you are sitting on the sofa and your child suddenly comes very happy, telling you that he has obtained an A in the test he took last week, you will surely experience an emotion of joy.

Positive emotions are vital to our well-being. If you never experience positive emotions, you will never be happy, cheerful or satisfied, you will never have fun, and you will not have psychological well-being.

Can be controlled

It is possible to take actions so that positive emotions appear. For example: watching humorous movies, going out with friends, visiting family, helping people, playing something you like…

They improve health and prevent diseases

Positive emotions also optimize health, prevent illness, and reduce anxiety.

Likewise, they favor efficient, flexible and creative reasoning, expand the repertoire of thoughts and actions of the person, and reinforce their resources, either physically, intellectually and socially.

That is why it is very important to know what positive emotions human beings have and what we can do to increase their appearance.

The 10 most important positive emotions and how to increase them

Humor

Humor refers to the ability to experiment or stimulate laughter.

However, this emotion does not stop there, since what makes it especially important is that it allows a positive interpretation of situations that can be threatening.

In addition, several investigations have shown that the act of laughing is directly related to considerable benefits in the muscular and cardiovascular systems, so experiencing this emotion favors our health.

Thus, humor is an important positive emotion to which it is essential that we expose ourselves frequently.

To manage it properly, it is not about "taking it all with humor" as its name might suggest, but it is important to take two important actions:

1. Interpret in detail if those situations that put you in a bad mood are always justified, that is, if they are situations that constitute a real threat. If they are not, it is preferable that you try to experience a positive emotion.

2. Frequently exposing yourself to stimuli that directly provoke us humor: watching a funny movie or television series, meeting that friend with whom you always end up laughing, paying attention to funny jokes or anecdotes, etc.

Joy

Joy is a universally known emotion that is characterized by experiencing a pleasant and alive feeling. It directly generates a feeling of general well-being, and also prevents us from its opposite emotion, sadness.

Joy is experienced through pleasant experiences, and it is true that if we do not currently have this type of experience, it is difficult for it to appear. However, if you haven't experienced the feeling of joy in a long time, you can do it today.

Lie down on the bed, relax, close your eyes and try to remember in maximum detail the last situation that made you experience the feeling of joy. Simply with the imagination of a pleasant and happy experience, you will be able to appreciate this emotion.

Sometimes routine, work or stress makes us not have too many stimuli that give us joy but that is no excuse for not exposing yourself to it, close your eyes and remember what it was like.

Interest

Few people interpret interest as an emotion, but it really is. Interest is that emotion that allows you to focus all your attention on something specific. And it is that having an interest in things is one of the basic needs that our brain has.

The moment you get interested in something, your motivation increases, your desire to be active and your desire to discover new things.

Do not allow yourself the luxury of not being interested in anything, if you do, you will be much more vulnerable to negative emotions, your life will be more boring and you will have fewer sources of gratification.

Each person has different interests and tastes, so no one can recommend anyone to acquire an interest in a specific concept. However, you must keep in mind that the more interests you have and the more you enjoy them, the greater your gratification will be and the more positive emotions you will have.

Still don't know what your interests are? Get looking for them today!

Fluency

Fluidity (flow) is that emotion that is experienced when we are totally immersed in the activity we are doing. At that moment, all our attention, all our thoughts and all our emotions are focused on the activity, to the point of losing track of time.

This feeling of fullness and optimal functioning can be experienced in a large number of activities: practicing sports, singing, dancing, painting…

The truth is that there is no secret formula to access this state, but surely if you have experienced it you will know very well what it is.

The most effective way to achieve this is to do the activity that you are most passionate about. So, expose yourself as many times as you can to the activity that allows you to achieve this emotion.

Fun

The fun would constitute that emotion similar to the flow but that is experienced with less intensity.

The disadvantage is clear, with an activity you can have fun but not experience fluency, so the emotion you will feel will not be as pleasant. However, there is an advantage: you can have fun with a wider range of activities.

Fluency is achieved with very specific activities, and most people tend to experience it only in a single activity (or none at all), so exposure to this emotion is usually low.

However, you can experience fun in many activities. What things amuse you? Expose yourself to them whenever you can, never miss an opportunity to have fun.

Pride

Pride is that emotion that occurs when we are happy or satisfied with what we are, do or achieve.

It is an important emotion as it allows us to raise self-esteem, trust ourselves more and be less vulnerable to negative emotions such as guilt or envy.

To increase this emotion, exercise is simple: review everything you are, everything you have and everything you do, and ask yourself why you should not be proud of it?

Sometimes we think that only extraordinary or very successful people can be proud of themselves, but this is not the case, we all have something we can be proud of.

Elevation

Elevation is that emotion we experience when we feel satisfied that we have done a good deed. The best exercise to experience this emotion is to help someone who needs support, and thus make them happy.

Elevation is a very important emotion as it is accompanied by a strong feeling of affection, it "makes us feel" and makes us feel at peace with ourselves.

Start doing good deeds and you will see how rewarding this emotion is.

Resilience

Resilience is possibly the hardest positive emotion to experience. It is experienced when we are able to face adversities, overcome them and get something positive out of them.

It is an emotion of enormous value, since it allows us to convert negative emotions into positive ones.

Unlike the rest of emotions, this is not one to which we must frequently expose ourselves, since in order for it to appear it is necessary to be immersed in a negative and stressful situation.

However, it is vitally important that when you find yourself in one of these situations you do not forget that like all human beings you have this ability.

Never forget that no matter how hard the situation you find yourself is, if you make an effort to follow your path, there will come a time when you will recover and transform the negative event into something positive for yourself.

Tranquility

Many people think that tranquility is the opposite of emotion, but this is not the case.

That feeling of serenity when things are going well, experiencing a state of peace and tranquility, is a basic emotion for the human being, with enormous physical and psychological benefits.

Try to spend a few minutes each day sitting in your chair and not worrying about everything that is in your head, take a moment to feel the calm inside you.

Wellness

Finally, well-being is a state of personal satisfaction that is achieved by considering as positive the areas that make up a person's life: personal, social, family and work.

In fact, well-being could be considered the "sine qua non" condition of happiness. When we experience this emotion we become more creative, we are more proud of who we are, and we function with greater motivation.

It is true that to experience this situation we must consider the areas of our life as positive, but obviously, the interpretation that we make on these aspects will be subjective, it will depend on us.

Can the areas of your life be interpreted as positive? Why not? What prevents you from experiencing wellness? Ask yourself these questions, and you probably have no reason not to feel like your life is satisfying.

References

1. APA Division 38 (Health Psychology). Taken from health-psych.org/.
2. Barragán, AR, Morales, CI (2014). Psychology of the positive emotions: generalities and benefits. Teaching and Research in Psychology. VOL. 19, NO. 1: 103-118.
3. European Health Psychology Society. Taken from ehps.net/.
4. Fernández-Abascal, EG (Ed.) (2009). Positive Emotions. Madrid: Pyramid.
5. Fernández-Abascal, EG i Palmero, F. (Eds.) (1999). Emotions and Health. Barcelona: Ariel.
6. OGDEN, J. (2007). Essential readings in health psychology. Berkshire, UK: Open University Press.