The Feelings Wheel: A Tool for Emotional Awareness

The Feelings Wheel is a powerful tool which can help you recognise, understand, and talk about your emotions more easily and in a deeper way. If you struggle to put your feelings into words or want to deepen your connection with your emotions, this tool can support you.

The feelings wheel was originally designed by Dr. Gloria Willcox (1982).

Who Might Find the Feelings Wheel Useful?

The Feelings Wheel may be useful for you if you're looking to increase your emotional intelligence or if you find it hard trying to name and express your feelings. It’s particularly helpful if you:

Often feel overwhelmed by your emotions, but struggle to identify exactly what you're feeling.
Find it difficult communicating how you are feeling to others in a detailed way, using only broad terms like “angry” or “sad.”
Want to improve your emotional vocabulary to give you a deeper understanding and allow you to better process your experiences.
Are working through issues in counselling or therapy, such as anxiety, low self-esteem, or depression, and want to become more in tune with your emotional states.

It’s also a useful tool for:

Parents teaching children to name and express emotions.
Couples working on improving communication and emotional understanding.
Individuals practicing mindfulness and self-compassion.

How to Use the Feelings Wheel

This version of the Feelings Wheel categorises 72 feelings into six core emotions: sad, angry, fearful, happy, strong, and peaceful. Each core emotion is then broken down into more specific feelings, helping you to understand what you're experiencing on a deeper level.

Here are three simple ways to use the Feelings Wheel:

In the Moment: Immediate Reflection If you’re feeling an intense emotion, but you're not sure what it is, turn to the wheel. Start with the core emotion you think fits your experience—whether it’s sadness, anger, or happiness—and work your way outwards through the wheel. For example, if you feel generally "sad," the wheel can help you recognise that what you're really feeling is "ignored" or "lonely."
Daily Reflection: Checking in with Yourself At the end of each day, spend a few minutes reflecting on the emotions you experienced. By using the Feelings Wheel, you can gain deeper insights into your feelings and emotional patterns over time. This practice is helpful for understanding your triggers and how different experiences affect you emotionally.
Long-Term Reflection: Exploring Deeper Emotions The Feelings Wheel can also help you explore long-term emotional states. For instance, if you’ve been feeling anxious for months, you might find that your anxiety is rooted in feelings of insecurity or fear of rejection. Identifying these specific emotions can provide clarity and help you take the necessary steps toward healing.

The Benefits of Using the Feelings Wheel

Enhanced Emotional Awareness: Using the wheel encourages you to expand your emotional vocabulary, helping you move beyond general labels like "good" or "bad" to describe your emotional experiences with more accuracy.
Improved Communication: By identifying your emotions in detail, you’ll be better equipped to communicate how you feel with others—whether it’s a partner, therapist, or loved one. This can lead to more productive and meaningful conversations.
Better Emotional Regulation: Research shows that being able to label emotions with precision is linked to better emotional regulation and resilience. This means you’ll be less likely to react impulsively or aggressively when feeling overwhelmed.
Self-Compassion: The wheel helps you practice self-compassion by allowing you to acknowledge your emotions without judgment. For example, recognizing that you're feeling "shame" can enable you to respond to yourself with kindness, rather than self-criticism.

Practical Tips for Using the Feelings Wheel

Keep It Handy: You can print a copy of the Feelings Wheel and keep it with you, or store a digital version on your phone. This way, you can access it any time you need to check in with your emotions.
Remember Emotions Can Coexist: It’s possible to experience multiple emotions at the same time. The Feelings Wheel can help you explore combinations of emotions, like feeling both excited and nervous before a big event, or peaceful but slightly overwhelmed during a life transition.
Don't Avoid Difficult Emotions: The goal of the Feelings Wheel is to help you acknowledge your emotions, not to replace negative feelings with positive ones. For example, if you're feeling "sad," it’s important to allow that sadness to exist rather than trying to force yourself to feel "joyful."

Why Emotional Awareness Matters

Being able to identify and articulate your emotions is an important part of emotional intelligence, which is linked to better mental health, stronger relationships, and improved coping mechanisms. The more specific you can be in identifying your feelings, the better equipped you’ll be to understand your emotional triggers and how to manage them.

As you explore the Feelings Wheel, you'll discover that emotions are not something to be feared or avoided, but rather understood and accepted as part of the human experience. It can be a valuable resource in your self-care and mental health journey, offering insights into how you feel and guiding you toward healthier emotional expression.

By making the Feelings Wheel part of your emotional toolkit, you can improve your emotional well-being, communicate more effectively, and better understand the complex inner landscape of your emotions. Whether you use it in the moment or as part of a reflective practice, the Feelings Wheel is a simple yet powerful tool for emotional growth.

The Feelings Wheel