People have been classifying and discussing emotions since the beginning of humankind. The definitions of emotions presented here are one researcher's classifications.In this discussion, I specifically avoid classifying emotions as "good" or "bad," or "positive" and "negative." This is because emotions simply are. If we call an emotion bad or negative, we get the impression that experiencing this emotion is somehow bad or negative. All emotions are normal and natural. All are important and play their role in our lives. Some are more pleasant than others, for certain. But that doesn't mean that some should be avoided, or that we should seek to suppress any, for doing so might have adverse effects on our mental, emotional, and even physical well-being.That said, it is important to appropriately manage our emotional expressions. No doubt, inappropriate emotional expressions can wreak havoc and cause significant damage to our relationships. What are defined as appropriate emotional expressions varies cross-culturally, as it is, to some extent, culturally defined. In this article, we will discuss the range of natural and normal human emotions, followed by a discussion of emotional intelligence.Emotions definitionsResearchers have defined emotion as "the body's multidimensional response to any event that enhances or inhibits one's goals." For example, your nervousness before the first date has to do with possible goal interference. The possibility of the date going poorly interferes with your desire to have a good time and make a new connection, possibly for a lifetime partnership. If the date goes poorly, your goal of making a new connection and finding a life partner is inhibited. If your partner is showing interest in a third-party, you feel jealous, because your exclusive relationship with your partner is being threatened.Essentially, all human emotions fall into one of three categories: joyful/affectionate, hostile, and sad. Joyful/affectionate emotions include happiness, love, passion, and liking. Happiness is the most universally recognized of all human emotions. It is a condition of contentment, pleasure, and good cheer. In all cultures, people express happiness by smiling, laughing, and being energetic, and these characteristics are also interpreted as happiness. When we feel happy, we tend to want to share with others by approaching them, and reconnecting with them. When this occurs, it often makes the other person happy as well, resulting in happiness as a truly social experience. Research indicates that being happy reduces our stress, thus contributing to overall health and well-being.There are many kinds of love. Essentially, it is caring for, feeling attached to, and feeling committed to someone. We experience romantic love, love for friends, love for family members, love for God, and love for self. Love is a remarkably powerful emotion, and can cause people to do things they would not otherwise do – such as leave their lives behind and move around the world. Love is sometimes accompanied by passion, which consists of joy and surprise, coupled with experiences of excitement and attraction. Because passion is partially fueled by novelty and surprise, it often marks the early stages of a relationship, yet begins to fade as the relationship extends over time.Liking is the positive evaluation of another person. You probably like someone if you enjoy spending time around him or her and view that person's behavior positively. Liking is different from love, in that liking is the positive evaluation of someone, while love is a sense of commitment to that person. Therefore, it is entirely possible to like someone without loving them, and to love someone without necessarily liking them. Displays of liking tend to include behaviors such as smiling, touch, and close proximity to the person. We also tend to share activities with people we like, and make an extra effort to spend time with them because we enjoy their company. Liking, love, and passion are all distinct emotions, but each motivates us to spend time in the company of others. Happiness drives us to interact with people we like and love. In this way, these joyful/affectionate emotions draw us to people we care about, thus enhancing our interpersonal communication.