Emotions Chart (8.5 x 11)

How to use the Emotions Chart

There is something very powerful about naming our emotions. When we can put a word or label on how we feel, it puts us in charge. It makes pleasant emotions more satisfying and normalizes scary or unpleasant emotions. After all, if there is a name for how I feel, that means others have felt that emotion before. Furthermore, it also means that strategies can be employed to deal with a feeling that otherwise might seem overwhelming.

At Challenge to Change, we use this emotions chart regularly when working with our young students. It is our practice to have students pick a word to describe how they feel at the beginning of a mindfulness lesson and then pick a word that describes how they feel after engaging in the lesson. We do this to encourage the development of an emotional vocabulary and to get young minds in the practice of regularly assessing and describing how they feel.

As a parent, educator, or caretaker, you can use this chart for yourself and the children in your life. Regularly explore the words on this list and ask questions such as, “What does this emotion feel like in my body?”, “Where do I feel this emotion in my body?”, “When have I experienced that feeling before?” and “How can I calm my body down if this is a feeling I do not enjoy?” 

One of the most invaluable gifts we can give ourselves and others are the ability to discuss our emotions and feelings. We hope this chart proves to be as powerful a tool for you in this regard as it has been for us at Challenge to Change!