How many times do you find yourself stuck in the loop of ‘I don’t know?’
Sometimes when our inner world feels chaotic, it can be hard to figure out exactly what you’re feeling and the appropriate reaction to it but putting a finger to your feelings can sometimes be really helpful to understand and deal with it better.
The feeling wheel is a powerful psychological tool which is also used by therapists in therapy with clients to identify and verbalise their emotions. The wheel identifies primary human emotions and tiers of related, more nuanced versions of those emotions.
Primary emotions are basic emotions that we are born with that have been conditioned into our brains. Along the outermost part of the feeling wheel are the low-intensity emotions and as you move toward the centre, the milder emotions become your basic emotions. We also have secondary emotions, which are emotional reactions to an emotion such as the feeling of shame when angry or feeling fear as a result of anger.
The emotion wheel helps you to be more open, honest, curious, and mindful about yourself.
How to use the wheel:
Scan this wheel to figure out what emotion best describes your current state and then allow it to empower how you want to meet the moment. Start with the basic emotions and then keep going until you find the word that closely describes your emotional experience.
Try and see if it helps you to identify and acknowledge your emotions.
Disclaimer: If it gets overwhelming or you are in distress, please reach out to a mental health professional.
