How to use the Wheel of Feelings when you’re feeling bad
- Jeffrey C. Chapman
- Mar 18, 2023
- 4 min read
If you’re feeling bad, the last thing you want to do is get in touch with your feelings. But the Wheel of Feelings can actually help you feel better by helping you understand and work through your emotions. Give it a spin the next time you’re feeling down.
What is the Wheel of Feelings and how can it help me when I’m feeling bad?
If you’re feeling stuck in a spiral of negative emotions, the Wheel of Feelings can be a great resource to help you access your emotional intelligence and take steps towards self-care. Developed by Dr. Gloria Willcox, this technique encourages you to use feelings to make connections with other feelings, thoughts and behaviors. The wheel contains eight core emotions – happiness, sadness, anger, fear, shame, surprise, love and hate – that together create a sort of emotional roadmap for discovering how our thoughts affect our psychological wellbeing. Identifying how different emotions link together can also bring forth clarity as to how we manage difficult behaviours or patterns. By recognizing how each emotion affects the way we think and act, the Wheel of Feelings can enable us to become more emotionally aware so that when life throws hard things at us we’re better equipped to deal with them in a healthy manner.
How do I use the Wheel of Feelings to identify my feelings?
The Wheel of Feelings is an effective tool to help identify our emotions. This tool can be used by individuals, groups and practitioners alike. The wheel is divided into four quadrants, which represents four core feelings: anger, sadness, joy, and fear. This can help us narrow down our primary emotion. As you zero in on your feeling, look at words or phrases within the quadrant that best describe it – this may range from annoyance to grief and everything in between. Once the feeling is identified, it gives us a clear understanding of the root cause of our emotions allowing us to deal with it in an appropriate manner. With practice, we are better able to understand ourselves and therefore navigate our lives in healthier ways.
Once I’ve identified my feelings, what should I do next?
Once you have identified your feelings, the next step is to take action. Make sure to focus on addressing your unique needs. Taking action does not mean that every decision should be made without seeking advice or guidance – sometimes it’s helpful to talk to a professor, mentor, counselor, or friend who can offer insight and help work toward a solution. Additionally, starting a journal can be beneficial in reflecting on current emotions and patterns of thinking and creating constructive ways of managing those feelings going forward. Lastly, remember that it’s completely normal and okay to feel however you do in the moments after completeing an emotional inventory – give yourself time and compassion as you practice self-care methods for addressing all feelings.
How can I effectively communicate my feelings to others using the Wheel of Feelings tool?
The Wheel of Feelings tool is a great way for people to effectively communicate their feelings with others. It can be used as an aid to create meaningful discussions, and it might even help us discover emotions we weren’t aware of before. Using the wheel encourages us to thoughtfully move beyond labels such as “happy or “sad” and better articulate the range of feelings beneath the surface in order to have more meaningful conversations. By taking time to ponder our emotional state and practiced mindful language, it not only helps us better express ourselves, but it also allows us to become much more aware and accepting of our own feelings. Ultimately, using the Wheel of Feelings allows us to practice honest self-expression while strengthening our relationships with those around us.
Are there any other resources that can help me when I’m feeling bad?
It is incredibly important to take care of your mental health and it can be helpful to have access to various resources when feeling bad. There are a number of hotlines for instant support, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Veterans Crisis Line, and National Domestic Violence Hotline. Additionally, many apps exist that offer soothing activities such as mindful exercises and mood tracking tools. Connecting with friends or family members can also provide a sense of comfort. Whatever route you decide take, it is important to remember that is ok to not be ok and there are many outlets out there that can be a positive source of solace during tough times.
The Wheel of Feelings can be a helpful tool when you’re feeling bad because it helps you to identify your feelings and figure out what to do next. Once you’ve identified your feelings, you can use the resources in this article to help you effectively communicate them to others. If these resources don’t seem like they’re enough, there are other options available to you, so don’t hesitate to reach out for help
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