There are many ‘feelings lists’ in circulation; being a pernickety sort of a person I have objections to most of them, including the copyrighted (!) lists produced by CNVC. These include many words which I would more likely use to label or describe other peoples’ behaviour, especially if I was writing a novel, rather than to express what is truly alive in me. They also include a mixture of nouns and adjectives, which I find confusing, as well as words which combine feelings with judgments. So, I made my own, much more restricted, lists of words which ring true for me as ‘feelings’ I might actually feel; I revise and change them often, and I invite you to make your own list and do the same!
Feelings divide conveniently into those which we instinctively enjoy and seek out, and those which are uncomfortable for us and which we generally try to avoid. In one sense you could say there are only two feelings – pleasant and unpleasant, though I see no cause to impoverish our descriptive language to that extent! Note however that an unpleasant feeling gives us as much valuable information about our needs as a pleasant one. Indeed there is often greater potential for learning and growth when we experience discomfort than when we experience ease…
feelings generally experienced as positive:
|
amazed amused calm comfortable confident content curious delighted energetic |
enthusiastic excited fascinated grateful happy hopeful inspired intrigued moved |
open passionate peaceful pleased joyful refreshed relaxed relieved
|
satisfied secure stimulated surprised tender thrilled touched warm |
feelings generally experienced as negative:
|
afraid agitated alarmed anxious bewildered bored confused dazed disturbed edgy exhausted flustered fragile |
frazzled frightened frustrated heartbroken helpless hesitant hurt impatient indifferent insecure irritable listless lonely |
lost miserable nervous numb overwhelmed panicky puzzled restless sad scared shaky shocked sleepy |
tense terrified tired torn troubled uncomfortable uneasy unhappy unsure upset vulnerable wary worried |
Note that this list excludes a number of words which are very useful but which contain emotional judgments rather than simple feelings. These ‘combined pain and blame’ words have their own page here.
