When reflecting on significant events in our lives, such as farewells or marriages, we often minimize negative emotions like anxiety and anger, recalling more positive feelings instead.
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| Image: exploratorium |
This outcome indicates that a healthy individual automatically constructs a positive storytelling self to bring an optimistic tone to the most significant events in their lives, stated researchers Michael Conway and Wendy-Jo Wood from Concordia University, Canada.
The findings also hold implications for every individual’s mental health. “Mental health is maintained or improved through people’s efforts to make every life experience meaningful,” Conway said.
“People strive to find the positive in every difficulty and work towards minimizing the negative experiences from the past,” he explained.
In their study, Conway and Wood investigated the emotional memories of important past events among 279 college students. They found that when participants thought about negative events, such as conflicts with bosses, the loss of loved ones, or sexual violence, they reported feeling fewer negative emotions, such as anger or contempt, at present, while feeling happier and prouder compared to when the events occurred.
Moreover, when students recalled positive events, such as dating, marriage, or achieving personal goals, they reported still feeling as happy as they did at the time, along with strong feelings of love and pride. However, negative emotions such as anger, confusion, and guilt were significantly diminished.
Conway remarked: “Everyone experiences intense emotions in stressful situations, and they need to frame those events in a way that maintains a positive sense of self and the world.”
M.T.
