ver had one of those days when the sky, or at least the little piece above you, decided to give up and came crashing down on your head? Your dog ate your homework, your best friend hates you and you’re pretty sure your stomach hurts. I know you’ve had days like that. Otherwise, you could tell me you are a Kmorg from Planet Yxiuvila and I would find it easier to believe than that you are an actual human. Maybe you’re feeling pretty not-good right now. If so, don’t freak out. It’s ok. Really. I’ll tell you why.

Maybe we should start here. What are Ooby Gooby Feelings anyway? They’re the sticky, slimy ones you wish you never had. You might know them by other names. There’s tough guy Anger, long-faced Sadness, Frustration with the shrill voice… And of course, big bad Depression—which feels not only like your personal piece of sky has fallen, but that it came crashing down so hard that it sent you straight into the ground, and now you can’t see anything except blackness and no way out. Don’t forget the quieter feelings like boredom or numbness. They don’t scream and shout or cry, but that doesn’t mean they feel good. In fact, if you have to ask yourself if you’re happy right now, the answer is a big red NO.

Well, it might be hard to believe, but these Ooby Gooby guys aren’t as bad as they seem. It’s not their fault their teeth are so long and sharp. And what if I went a step further and told you that bad feelings are actually good?

This is you: What?! *Double back flip, ballerina twirl and skittles in the air* What?! That’s like saying black is white and white is black. You’re just talking crazy now. I’m going to close my computer real slowly and back away.

No, no, don’t go. It’s ok. Let me explain. I’ll talk super fast, just don’t go. Badfeelingsaregoodbecausetheytellyouthatyoureonthewrongtrack. Too fast? Ok. Let me try again. Bad feelings are good because they tell you that you’re on the wrong track. Think of it like this. If you touch a hot pot, the pain tells you it’s probably not a good idea to keep your hand on it. It’s the same thing with bad feelings. If you feel bad when you’re thinking something, it’s a sign for you to stop thinking it. Pretty simple, right? Right. Except it’s not so easy to stop thinking bad feeling thoughts sometimes… We’re going to talk about strategies for dealing with that soon. Stay tuned.