How Do You Feel Worksheet

How Do You Feel? A Worksheet to Understand Your Emotions

Understanding your emotions is a crucial step towards improving your mental well-being. This worksheet is designed to help you identify, explore, and manage your feelings. It's a simple yet powerful tool that can be used daily to increase your emotional intelligence and self-awareness.

Identifying Your Feelings

Before we can manage our emotions, we need to understand what we're feeling. This isn't always easy, as emotions can be complex and nuanced. Let's start with some basic steps:

Step 1: Name That Feeling!

Take a moment to think about how you're feeling right now. Don't overthink it; just jot down the first word that comes to mind. Some common feelings include:

• Happy: Joyful, cheerful, content, delighted
• Sad: Unhappy, down, blue, depressed, lonely
• Angry: Mad, frustrated, irritated, furious, resentful
• Scared: Afraid, anxious, worried, nervous, terrified
• Surprised: Amazed, shocked, startled
• Disgusted: Repulsed, sickened
• Excited: Thrilled, enthusiastic, energized

Write your feeling here: _______________

Step 2: Describe Your Feeling

Now, let's delve a little deeper. Describe your feeling in more detail. What physical sensations are you experiencing? What thoughts are going through your mind? What triggered this feeling?

Physical Sensations: (e.g., butterflies in my stomach, tense muscles, rapid heartbeat) _______________

Thoughts: (e.g., I'm not good enough, this is unfair, I'm going to fail) _______________

Trigger: (What event or situation caused this feeling?) _______________

Exploring Your Feelings

Once you've identified and described your feelings, it's important to explore them further. Asking yourself the following questions can be helpful:

Step 3: Understanding the Root Cause

Why are you feeling this way? What is the underlying cause of your emotion? Is it a specific event, a pattern of thinking, or something else entirely? Being honest with yourself is key to effectively managing your emotions.

Root Cause: _______________

Step 4: Challenge Negative Thoughts

If your feelings are predominantly negative, take some time to challenge the thoughts associated with them. Are these thoughts realistic? Are they helpful? Often, negative thoughts are distortions of reality. Replacing these thoughts with more balanced and positive ones can significantly impact your emotional state.

Managing Your Feelings

Once you've identified and explored your feelings, you can start to develop strategies for managing them. Here are some helpful techniques:

Step 5: Healthy Coping Mechanisms

What can you do to cope with this feeling in a healthy way? This could involve:

• Physical activity: Exercise, yoga, dance
• Mindfulness and meditation: Focusing on your breath, practicing gratitude
• Creative expression: Writing, painting, music
• Social connection: Talking to a trusted friend or family member
• Self-care activities: Taking a bath, reading a book, listening to music

Your Coping Strategy: _______________

Step 6: Seeking Support

Remember, it's okay to ask for help. If you're struggling to manage your emotions, don't hesitate to reach out to a therapist, counselor, or trusted friend or family member. They can provide support and guidance as you navigate your feelings.

This worksheet is a starting point. The more you practice identifying and managing your emotions, the better you'll become at understanding and responding to them. Remember, self-awareness is the first step towards emotional well-being.