Naming your feelings
This practice helps you identify and name your feelings, which is the first step toward understanding and honoring them.
Duration
3-5 minutes
For
Anyone struggling to identify or express their feelings
Goal
To increase emotional awareness and build a vocabulary for your feelings
Pause and notice
Take a moment to pause and notice what you're feeling in your body. Are there any physical sensations? Tension? Warmth?
Name the feeling
Try to put a name to what you're feeling. Is it sadness? Anxiety? Anger? Joy? Sometimes feelings are complex, so you might need multiple words.
Accept the feeling
Tell yourself, "It's okay to feel [name of feeling]. All feelings are valid."
Reflect
Take a moment to reflect on what might be causing this feeling. You don't need to fix it — just observe.
Naming your feelings is a powerful tool for emotional awareness. The more you practice, the easier it will be to identify and honor your emotions.