Name Your Feelings

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. 

Photo by: https://www.avanmuijen.com/watercolor-emotion-wheel

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.

Emotional Words

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

Physical Feelings

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.