When someone asks you “How are you feeling?” or you are given a prompt (as in the Journals for Seekers) to name how you are feeling today, are you at a loss for describing the myriad of emotions flowing through you?
Sometimes feelings can be physical – as in a “gut feeling” or intuition, feeling sick to your stomach, or feeling blah. Sometimes feelings are emotional – like happy, sad, grief, curiosity, serenity, courage, confidence, or anger. As Peter Burke states, it’s important to pay attention to both kinds – what your body tells you, or what thoughts arise.
The word “Feelings” can refer to physical sensations
or to words of emotion.
Science has proven that identifying your feelings “tricks” your brain – helping you overcome negative feelings or enhancing positive ones. As you become aware of feeling your feelings and recording them, you may notice that you don’t have the word to describe it. That’s not uncommon with so many having grown up being taught that only happiness is “allowed.”
You can start with the basics. The Feelings Wheel suggests these seven: bad, fearful, angry, disgusted, sad, happy, and surprised. Then move out from these to get more in-depth.
To help you discover the words that best suit you, there are many sources you can use – such as the Feelings Wheel or try the selection below.
acceptance
admiration
affection
aggravation
anger
anguish
anxiety
attraction
boredom
caution
certainty
compassion
confidence
confusion
contentment
courage
curiosity
defeat
defiance
delight
dependence
depression
desire
disappointment
dislike
dismay
distress
embarrassment
enthusiasm
envy
excitement
fear
frustration
fury
generosity
greed
grief
guilt
hate
hatred
hope
horror
hostility
impatience
jealousy
joy
kindness
loneliness
longing
love
lust
malice
misery
optimism
panic
patience
pessimism
pity
pleasure
priderage
relief
sadness
satisfaction
scorn
shame
sorrow
sympathy
terror
unhappiness
wonder
wrath
achy
airy
blocked
breathless
bruised
bubbly
burning
buzzy
calm
clenched
closed
cold
congested
constricted
contracted
cool
dark
dense
disconnected
dizzy
draining
dull
electric
empty
energized
expanded
expansive
floating
flowing
fluid
fluttery
frozen
full
heavy
hollow
hot
icy
itchy
knotted
light
nauseous
nervy
numb
open
pounding
prickly
queasy
radiating
referring
relaxed
releasing
sensitive
shaky
shivery
smooth
sore
spacey
spacious
streaming
suffocated
sweaty
tender
tense
thick
throbbing
tight
tingling
trembly
twitchy
warm
wobbly
wooden
A variety of words
According to the BBC, the Scots have logged 421 words for snow – “including “snaw” (snow), “sneesl” (to begin to rain or snow) and “skelf” (a large snowflake).” There are many options for grief, happiness, sensations and the other nuanced feelings you are
experiencing.
Start with these lists. If you don’t find the word that suits you, make one up! The important part is being aware of what you are feeling, and then journal them to be on the path to feeling your best.