Practical tool · Emotions
Emotion Word Finder: Emotions and Inner States
A visual and text-based tool to help you put words to what you are experiencing, without searching for a perfect answer.
Emotion Word Finder: Emotions and Inner States
The wheel brings together eight broad families, eleven petals, and 99 words and phrases. You can begin with a colour or family, then choose one or two terms that come close to your experience.
The accessible list contains exactly the same vocabulary, one family at a time. Terms may overlap and may mean something different depending on the person and the situation.
The visual wheel
Select the image to open it at full size. The complete text version follows immediately below.
Text and accessible version
Explore all 99 terms in the format that works for you. Family and petal names remain visible, so meaning never depends on colour alone.
Calm and Safety
Calm and Safety
- soothed
- confident
- relaxed
- safe
- peaceful
- composed
- reassured
- serene
- relieved
Joy, Connection, and Energy
Affection and Closeness
- affectionate
- warmed
- cherished
- in sync
- moved
- close
- grateful
- tender
- touched
Joy and Pleasure
- amused
- glad
- delighted
- playful
- happy
- joyful
- thrilled
- pleased
- satisfied
Curiosity and Motivation
- captivated
- curious
- determined
- excited
- encouraged
- enthusiastic
- inspired
- intrigued
- motivated
Surprise
Surprise
- confused
- puzzled
- thrown off
- unsettled
- astonished
- perplexed
- caught off guard
- stunned
- surprised
Fear and Alarm
Fear and Alarm
- alarmed
- anxious
- frightened
- worried
- nervous
- panicked
- concerned
- tense
- vulnerable
Anger and Frustration
Frustration and Overload
- at my limit
- upset
- stretched too thin
- frustrated
- impatient
- powerless
- weary
- overloaded
- overwhelmed
Anger and Indignation
- annoyed
- angry
- exasperated
- mad
- furious
- indignant
- irritated
- outraged
- incensed
Aversion and Discomfort
Aversion and Discomfort
- disgusted
- troubled
- unwell
- uncomfortable
- uneasy
- put off
- repelled
- reluctant
- revolted
Embarrassment, Shame, and Regret
Embarrassment, Shame, and Regret
- guilty
- sorry
- embarrassed
- self-conscious
- ashamed
- humiliated
- intimidated
- mortified
- remorseful
Sadness and Longing
Sadness and Longing
- downhearted
- discouraged
- disappointed
- isolated
- melancholic
- nostalgic
- saddened
- alone
- sad
How to use this tool
- Think of a specific situation.
- Look through the families and choose one or two terms that come close to what you are experiencing.
- Choose terms from more than one family, add your own words, or stop at “I don’t know yet.”
Other options
If none of the terms feels right, you can also choose:
- torn
- numb
- I don’t know yet
Describe the intensity
After choosing one or more terms, describe the intensity separately or indicate that it varies.
- A little
- Moderately
- A lot
It varies
Original tool and vocabulary proposed for personal reflection by Judy Turcotte, T.S.