Introduction:
I came across the following image about emotions a few weeks ago, which inspired me to write this blog based on that idea. In general, our emotions are generated and physically manifested in the following way:
External event or thought --> Sensory perception --> Brain evaluation --> Brain activates physiological changes --> Subjective emotional conscious feeling (happy, sad, etc.) --> Emotion external behavioral response (smiling, crying, etc.)
We can gauge others' emotions primarily through their external behavioral responses. Therefore, reading tacit communication through body language is a key skill in human interactions.
In this blog, we focus on complex emotions, their overlap areas, and what they represent for us. Understanding these nuances is beneficial for self-improvement as well as for understanding others. The more we know about ourselves and the emotions of our fellow human beings, the better we can calibrate our responses in a civilized manner. This ability, technically called emotional intelligence, is a crucial aspect of human interactions.
First row, first one:
joy and sadness
Humans have simple and complex emotions which are nothing but the mixture of simple ones. Joy and sadness are fine grain human emotions. Joy represents happiness or positivity, but sadness represents grief or loss.
When do we feel joy and sorrow at the same time?
It happens when we become nostalgic. That is when we think of the past joyous moments we become joyful but at the same become sad due to the past nature of the experience. This kind of feeling we get when we think of our elders who are no more. Their memories make us happy on one hand, but on the other makes us sad due to their absence.
First row, second one:
anxiety and excitement
Anxiety represents a heightened sense of fear or negativity or uncertainty of positive outcome whereas excitement represents a heightened sense of positivity or joy in anticipation of positive outcome.
Usually these kinds of emotions get evoked in a human being in big events of his life such as attending an interview, first day at school/college/office, first date/ night or watching a nail biting T20 cricket match.
Our life is full of these complex emotions which overwhelm us to coerce us to commit mistakes. That is one of the reasons why one should not take key life decisions during these vulnerable emotional moments in life. These emotions test us thoroughly whether we like or not.
First row, Third one:
Anger and compassion
When someone gets injustice or social discrimination in the society, it angers the right minded person in the society.
If this anger is conditioned through compassion to deliver justice to that unfortunate section of the society, it gives birth to assertive actions such as NGOs and organisations to offer guidance and healing services.
This complex emotion delivers more value to society as it elevates the society's compassion for the needy. Even our constitution provides so many rights to its citizens and reservations for the oppressed part of the society. Even women have more rights to protect their self esteem. Parents have rights against the abusive kids and vice versa too.
All these things are borne out of the compassionate conditioning of the anger.
Second row, first one:
Fear and Curiosity
The intersection of fear and curiosity is an unknown that evokes apprehension and, at the same time, a desire to explore.
These emotions drive us to undertake risky endeavors, such as exploring the seabed, venturing into space, starting a new business, or discovering new places on Earth or beyond.
To advance our understanding of the world, humans are often compelled to try new things, despite the apprehension they feel. The fear of failure looms over these adventures, but a few succeed in overcoming it. In the end, only a handful achieve success. For instance, Columbus's discovery of new continents exemplifies this emotional interplay.
Fear and curiosity, when balanced, become powerful motivators—helpful emotions if one can conquer the fear of failure.
Second row, second one:
Confusion and Clarity
The intersection of confusion and clarity represents aha! moments or light 🕯️ turning on moments or understanding moments.
This complex emotion we will see in those students who make efforts to move themselves from confusion to clarity. I have treaded this path numerous times in my life. I am addicted to this emotion. I enjoy and thrive in this emotion.
The other day I happened to meet an engineering student. Our discussion somehow got into electrical engineering. I asked him what voltage is? That person told me that current flows because of that. What is current? I told him that there are fundamental units and derived units which you should be cognizant of. I am sure that epiphany moment has not occurred to him.
దీనినే మనం తెలుగులో
అర్థం కాని చదువు వ్యర్థం అంటాం. మనకు చదువు అర్థం అయ్యింది అంటే మనం ఒక confusion ని clarity లో మలుచుకున్నట్టే.
ఈ విషయం జీవితంలో అన్నింటికి వర్తిస్తుంది.
Second row, third one:
Hope and doubt
Hope represents the positive outcome of the effort. Hope is a realistic expectation of the outcome. Therefore it is much stronger than a wish.
Doubt represents the uncertainty of the outcome. In any endeavour doubt casts shadow on one's hope.
The intersection represents the hope of a positive outcome out of the effort despite the uncertainty. Usually this complex emotion is called determination.
This emotion is very important for realising one's dreams. One must be confident despite uncertainty. This determination only helps one realise their dreams.
If one is sick and unhealthy, one must carry this complex emotion with unwavering focus. Usually weak minded people succumb to the emotion of doubt, that is why we see only a few realising their dreams. Others remain wondering how? One got to move beyond the doubt to achieve anything meaningful in human life.
Third row, first one:
Trust and Letdown
Trust builds reliable relationships. It develops over a period of time between individuals through honesty, reliability, consistency, clear communication, and transparency. When we trust someone, we believe in their words and actions.
Letdown happens when one fails to deliver on promises.
The intersection of trust and letdown represents the breaking of trust, which leads to disappointment and betrayal.
In real life, betrayal is often seen between lovers, where big promises are broken. Similarly, disappointment can arise between a company and its customers due to poor service or substandard products. Marriages may fail because of unmet expectations. As a result, skepticism often lingers in people's minds during all transactions, becoming an obstacle to leading a happy life.
To avoid this, one should be cautious in their actions and strive not to break the trust built over time through consistent performance.
These wise words come to mind when writing this:
మాట ఇవ్వనంత వరకు మనం రాజులం. మాట ఇచ్చామా, ఆ మాటకు మనం బానిసలం.
(Translation: "Until we make a promise, we are kings. Once we make a promise, we become slaves to it.")
If we fail to live by this principle, people will not value or respect us.
Third row, second one:
Love and Loss
Love represents a deep emotional connection with someone or something.
Loss represents the experience of being deprived of someone or something.
The intersection of these two represents grief. Grief is the price one pays for loving someone or something deeply. This loss is irreparable.
People experience grief when a family member or someone close dies. It arises due to the love shared.
When a romantic relationship ends, it leaves behind significant grief. Grief, indeed, is the price one pays for love.
When circumstances separate loved ones, it causes emotional pain, leading to grief.
Therefore, to avoid excessive grief in life, one should aim to regulate love and instead practice emotional detachment as much as possible.
Third row, third one:
Pride and Humility
Pride is a feeling of deep satisfaction and confidence in one’s abilities, achievements, or identity.
Humility is the quality of being modest, recognizing one’s limitations, and valuing others without arrogance.
If pride and humility were represented as sets in a Venn diagram, their intersection would represent self-respect or dignity.
The intersection occurs when someone balances pride with humility, leading to a healthy sense of self-respect. This means being confident in one’s worth or achievements while remaining grounded and respectful toward others.
Acknowledging Achievements Modestly: Feeling proud of your accomplishments but not boasting about them, instead focusing on the effort and support from others.
Leadership with Empathy: A leader who takes pride in their team’s success while staying humble and giving credit to others.
Personal Growth: Being confident in your progress while recognizing there’s always room to learn and improve.
This intersection highlights the harmony between confidence (pride) and modesty (humility), fostering respect for oneself and others without arrogance.
Fourth row, first one:
Guilt and Forgiveness
Guilt arises from the recognition of having caused harm, often accompanied by regret.
Forgiveness involves letting go of resentment or anger toward oneself or others for a wrongdoing.
The intersection of guilt and forgiveness can be thought of as reconciliation or healing.
When these overlap:
For the wrongdoer: They might feel guilt but also seek or grant forgiveness, leading to self-forgiveness and reconciliation with others.
For the wronged party: Forgiveness can coexist with an understanding of the other person’s guilt, leading to mutual healing. If someone harbors a grudge due to another's wrongdoing, it will burn them inside out over time. Therefore, forgiving the wrongdoer is essential for one's own healing.
That is why people say, "To err is human; to forgive is divine."
Both guilt and forgiveness aim to acknowledge harm and move past it, striving toward emotional peace and resolution to restore balance in life.
Fourth row, second one:
Ambition and Fatigue
Ambition is the strong desire to achieve goals, often driving people to work hard and persevere.
Fatigue is the state of physical or mental exhaustion, often resulting from prolonged hours of work.
The intersection of ambition and fatigue can be thought of as burnout.
An ambitious person might push themselves to achieve their goals in life at the cost of their physical and mental health, as well as their relationships.
This intersection manifests as burnout—a state where relentless striving meets overwhelming exhaustion, leading to reduced productivity, frustration, and a sense of being drained.
Ambition without balance can lead to fatigue, and when the two coexist, it highlights the importance of managing goals with sustainable effort and self-care. Without this balance, life may seem dull and routine, potentially affecting mental health. Therefore, work and rest must go hand in hand to lead a healthy and purposeful life.
Fourth row, third one:
Confidence and Vulnerability
In general, a human being is confident at times and not confident at other times. Life oscillates between these two extremes. When confident, a person acts decisively; when not, they admit their weaknesses honestly.
The intersection of confidence and vulnerability can be thought of as courage. Life throws curveballs at humans constantly, leaving no option but to extend confidence through real-life experiences. The overlap of confidence and vulnerability makes life exciting. This balance is what makes a human humble and open to continuous learning.
Confidence without vulnerability can lead to arrogance and insensitivity, while vulnerability without confidence might appear as insecurity. Together, they balance each other, creating space for meaningful relationships, mutual respect, and personal growth.
Fifty row, first one:
Gratitude and Envy
Gratitude involves appreciating what one has and finding contentment in one's current circumstances. It focuses on recognizing and valuing one's blessings.
Envy arises from desiring what someone else has, often leading to feelings of inadequacy or jealousy. It centers on coveting someone else's blessings.
The intersection of gratitude and envy in a Venn diagram can be thought of as aspiration with a positive outlook—striving to improve one's own blessings through self-ambition and constructive efforts, without harboring envy towards others.
This intersection reflects a healthy balance between striving for growth and appreciating the blessings of the present. It transforms envy from a purely negative emotion into a constructive force, while gratitude ensures that personal contentment and emotional peace remain intact throughout the process.
Fifth row, second one:
Peace and Uncertainty
Peace is a state of inner calm and acceptance, often grounded in clarity.
Uncertainty is the state of not knowing what lies ahead, often bringing potential anxiety.
The intersection of peace and uncertainty in a Venn diagram could be thought of as serenity in the unknown.
Serenity in the unknown arises when someone maintains inner calm despite unpredictable circumstances. This reflects the ability to accept life’s uncertainties without being consumed by worry or fear.
It is a form of calmness where a person balances their emotions, embracing the unpredictability of life with grace and trust.
This intersection represents a higher emotional state where one finds stability not in the elimination of uncertainty, but in the ability to remain at peace within it. It reflects resilience, mindfulness, and a deep acceptance of life’s inherent unpredictability.
This complex emotional ability is essential to leading a peaceful life in an ever-changing world.
What abilities ensure this calmness despite uncertainty in life is, unfortunately, a big question mark for many.
Fifth row, third one:
Joy and fear
Joy is the feeling of happiness or satisfaction, often associated with positive experiences.
Fear is the emotional response to potential danger or uncertainty, often triggering caution.
The intersection of joy and fear in a Venn diagram could be thought of as anticipation or excitement.
Anticipation arises when a person experiences happiness mixed with fear, such as during an exciting yet uncertain event.
Examples include taking a big life risk, going on a thrilling adventure, or waiting for a life-changing result.
The intersection embodies the idea that growth and meaningful experiences often lie outside one’s comfort zone, where joy and fear coexist to create heightened emotional intensity and transformative moments.
Conclusion:
I have completed writing about the complex human emotions depicted in this image. It was a journey into my own emotions to uncover some of these points. Now, I can say that emotions don’t emerge as a single entity. They arise like a hydra-headed monster, which is why they are so difficult to tame, and we often succumb to them. Sometimes, multiple emotions—three or more—can arise at once. I have made a humble beginning in understanding this.
At times, knowledge helps us overcome the adverse effects of these emotions that stem from our internal feelings. Emotional intelligence is the key to living a happy and peaceful life. Let us embark on this wonderful journey of understanding ourselves better.
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