1. Are you naturally aware of how you are feeling throughout the day, or only when you call attention to it?
I feel aware of my emotions all the time, but that does not mean I always pay attention to them, or give them their space. If you were to ask me how I felt at any given moment, I suppose I would almost always have an answer for you.
My feelings are like water beneath a canoe - sometimes the waters are calm, soothing, content; sometimes turbulent, exciting, challenging. Occasionally they seem almost overwhelming; other times I ride them with exhilaration.
2. When you do call attention to it, can you identify what you're feeling? How good are you discriminating between different feelings? How many different feelings (or shades of feelings) can you identify?
Yes; I guess if I were to quantify emotional shades, I would say there are hundreds that I might distinctively label or recognize, and there are even new ones I've never "seen" (felt) before the older I get. There are many nuances, but common themes.
3. How would you go about improving your ability to identify your feelings?
I write. I meditate. I sit with them and try not to push them away (but I must admit, I push them away too often when not convenient and you generally have to pay for that later.)
I think it's important to realize that you can't make yourself feel something. I want to feel happy instead of sad sometimes, and I can make a conscious choice to elevate my spirits, but there is no magic wand that will create a fabulous moment. You must just let that happen and be open when those great moments arise. They are almost spiritual.
This isn't really a rant, but a question for people.
I have incredible, incredible difficulty labeling my feelings and experience, which is somewhat strange because I'm very good at labeling other things (usually abstract) and take joy in it, too. I was seeing a therapist a while back who would occasionally ask me "how do you feel right now?" I had absolutely no idea. The only feelings I can clearly identify are sadness and infatuation which have very distinct psychological and physiological features. The rest I'm terrible at.
I'm curious about a few things.
1. Are you naturallly aware of how you are feeling throughout the day, or only when you call attention to it?
2. When you do call attention to it, can you identify what your feeling? How good are you discriminating between different feelings? How many different feelings (or shades of feelings) can you identify?
3. How would you go about improving your ability to identify your feelings?
1. Are you naturallly aware of how you are feeling throughout the day, or only when you call attention to it?
2. When you do call attention to it, can you identify what your feeling? How good are you discriminating between different feelings? How many different feelings (or shades of feelings) can you identify?
3. How would you go about improving your ability to identify your feelings?
1. Are you naturallly aware of how you are feeling throughout the day, or only when you call attention to it?
2. When you do call attention to it, can you identify what your feeling? How good are you discriminating between different feelings? How many different feelings (or shades of feelings) can you identify?
3. How would you go about improving your ability to identify your feelings?
Edahn, they made this for kids like us...
Edit: on second thought, I don't know if 2 axes are enough. A lot of these feelings are also not emotions at all (cold).
Some of them (hungover) have physical components that I would leave out. HMMM.
It's ironic isn't it, to be able to identify emotions in someone else when they themselves do not recognize them.