Increasing you emotional intelligence is important step in reclaiming control of your life. As a counseling therapist and a marriage counselor I often encourage clients to increase their ‘feelings vocabulary’. We all are familiar with the standard emotions of “mad, sad, happy, and scared”. What if we were to consider adding the new words that could describe those times when the feelings are more complicated or when we need to communicate the importance of our experiences to others.
Here are a few new feeling words. Try using at least one or two of these words as you respond to the situations that follow.
Abandoned Overwhelmed Joyous Accepted Complacent Exasperated Bewildered Full Blissful Envious Chipper Peaceful Enraged Touched Rejected Indifferent Morose Annoyed Numb Giddy Discontent Calm Pessimistic Nerdy Exuberant
Feelings Awareness: Identify all the emotions you might experience when-
The telephone rings:_________________________________________
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I meet someone new:_________________________________________
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It is a cloudy day: ____________________________________________
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I see someone I used to know: _________________________________
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It is my birthday: ____________________________________________
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I am alone: _________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
A fun application of this idea I use with my clients as a counseling therapist is to develop a list of personal feeling words. Once you have your list try to find new words that fit each of feelings/emotions and try them in your conversations, emails, blogs, and other communication (i.e. happy could become cheerful, upbeat, giddy, pleased, etc). See how many people notice- and how your own awareness and appreciation of your emotions changes.
Your emotional intelligence is an essential piece of finding and establishing a greater sense of control and understanding in your life. Being able to identify your own emotions will increase your opportunities to experience and share your own life in a new and powerful way.
