Feeling Inventory
Our lives are shaped by how we experience, manage, and express emotions. At pivotal moments in our lives, we can experience countless, deep and shape shifting types; sadness, fear, anxiety, joy, and love are some of the most common and easily recognized. But, all feelings are natural. Sometimes feelings are unexpected, confusing and can vary in degrees of intensity. For example, when something positive happens we typically feel lightness and joy in our hearts and minds. One client described joy as “watching the most colorful flowers sprouting and growing from a patch of garden in her soul.” When we experience loss and defeat, feelings can shift, bile can rise and a tender heart can sink. Another client described loss as, “a dull and relentless throbbing on a cellular level, in every inch of her physical form.”
What do we rob ourselves of, if we cannot or are unwilling to examine, identify and process our feelings?
Alexithymia, derived from the Greek language, means "no emotions for words." This psychological construct is used to describe people who struggle with feeling and expressing emotions. It represents a reduced ability, or sometimes a complete inability, to be connected with the internal emotive signals your body sends you. Alexithymia can occur for those who struggle with depression.
Alexithymia is not considered a mental disorder on its own. It was first introduced into psychiatry in 1976, and since then, there continues to be a lack of information on the underlying causes and recommended therapies. Certain social demographic factors are more likely to put a person at risk and the prevalence among men is experienced at almost twice the rate of women.
With that, something that has been helpful in working with clients who struggle to identify, label and communicate their feeling to others, is to use a Feeling Inventory. Clients can use the inventory to explore the breadth of emotions, reflect on one’s own experiences and make connections between thoughts and feelings. This supports a client in becoming intimately acquainted with one’s own experience.
Feel free to explore this Feeling Inventory on your own. Can you think of a time you would have felt something other than happy or sad? What was it? How do you know? What was the context? What feelings would you add to this inventory?
Feeling Inventory
Accepted
Affectionate
Afraid
Alive
Amused
Angry
Anxious
Apprehensive
Ashamed
Awkward
Beautiful
Bitter
Bored
Brave
Calm
Capable
Caring
Cheerful
Cherished
Comfortable
Competent
Concerned
Confident
Confused
Contemptuous
Content
Courageous
Curious
Defeated
Dejected
Delighted
Dependent
Desirable
Despairing
Desperate
Devastated
Disappointed
Discouraged
Disgusted
Distrustful
Eager
Embarrassed
Energized
Exasperated
Excited
Fearful
Foolish
Forgiving
Frantic
Friendly
Frustrated
Fulfilled
Furious
Generous
Glad
Good
Grateful
Great
Guilty
Happy
Hateful
Helpless
Hopeful
Hopeless
Horrified
Hostile
Humiliated
Hurt
Ignored
Impatient
Inadequate
Incompetent
Indecisive
Inferior
Inhibited
Insecure
Irritated
Isolated
Jealous
Joyful
Lonely
Lovable
Loved
Loving
Loyal
Melancholy
Miserable
Misunderstood
Muddled
Needy
Outraged
Overwhelmed
Panicky
Passionate
Peaceful
Playful
Pleased
Proud
Quiet
Relaxed
Relieved
Respected
Safe
Salty
Satisfied
Secure
Self-reliant
Sexy
Silly
Special
Strong
Supportive
Sympathetic
Tender
Tired
Touchy
Trapped
Troubled
Unappreciated
Unattractive
Uncertain
Uncomfortable
Uneasy
Unfulfilled
As always, this is not clinical or medical advice or treatment. Readers should seek professional help and consult with a doctor if you are concerned about your emotional well-being, health or safety.
