Member-only story
That’s a grand claim!
Yes, a catchy headline, but it is based on recent scientific research.
And, what on earth do you mean with “mixed emotions”?
Well, we all know classic emotions such as being happy or sad but mixed emotions are like a “sad kind of happiness”, or the “bitter-sweet” end to a film, or the “threatening awe” of an approaching thunderstorm.
Ok, got it. And these are meant to make your smarter and happier?!
Well, whether the emotions themselves make you smarter or happier we can’t say. But the ability to experience these emotions we know is related to eudaemonia. Eudaemonia is the type of happiness, in contrast to hedonistic wellbeing (simply experiencing positive emotions), that is a deeper fulfilling happiness. And this is correlated to higher wellbeing.
Oh, interesting! So, experiencing these mixed emotions means you get more depth out of life!
Precisely, but that could be personality based. But it seems to contrast to those who just feel good or negative emotions.
And what about being smart?
Well, smart may not be the right word. We are talking about making better decisions. A piece of research in 2020 during the first peak of the covid pandemic showed that those who…
