Emotions are at the core of the human experience. They influence our decisions, shape our relationships, and even impact our physical health. Yet, many people struggle to identify and name their emotions accurately. This seemingly simple skill—recognizing and naming emotions—is foundational for emotional intelligence, mental well-being, and personal growth.

Being able to name our emotions helps us become more aware of what we’re feeling. Emotions can be complex. Without identifying them, they can be overwhelming and confusing. By naming what we experience, whether it’s anger, sadness, joy, or anxiety, we make it easier to understand and address the source of those feelings. 

When we can articulate our emotions, we become better equipped to communicate with others. Saying, “I feel frustrated because I don’t feel heard” is much more constructive than lashing out or withdrawing without explanation. Naming emotions helps us express ourselves and allows for more effective communication. Researchers at UCLA studying this phenomenon have found a healthy link between feeling and identifying our emotions. 

The practice of labeling our emotions activates areas of the brain associated with self- control and reduces the intensity of negative feelings. Psychologists refer to this as “labeling to tame”. When we name our emotions, we can a) better understand them and b) respond to them more thoughtfully. Identifying our emotional states also allows us insight into the underlying causes of our feelings. If you’re feeling anxious before a big presentation or meeting, naming the anxiety may lead you to prepare more thoughtfully or practice calming techniques. On the other hand, ignoring or misidentifying the emotion could leave you stuck in a cycle of worry. 

Decades of research has shown that people who can effectively identify and label their emotions tend to experience better overall mental health. They are less likely to suppress their feelings, which often leads to worsened stress and physical health issues over time. Instead, they’re more likely to process their emotions in healthy ways, reducing the risks of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.

When identifying their emotions, most people default to broad terms like “happy”, “sad”, or “mad”. Expanding your emotional vocabulary allows for a better understanding of the emotion and what you might do to address it. Instead of just feeling “angry”, you might more accurately be feeling “frustrated”, “irritated”, or “enraged”. Tools like emotion wheels (see below) can help us explore the wide range of human emotions. 

Emotion wheels categorize a wide range of feelings, from the broad (anger, sadness, joy) to the more nuanced (frustrated, content, lonely). Emotions are rarely singular. For example, we might often feel both excited and anxious about something. An emotion wheel helps untangle our feelings by showing related emotions in clusters. Seeing emotions visually represented like this encourages us to pause and break down how we’re feeling, which makes it easier for us to decide how to respond.

I had never seen an emotion wheel until I took a psych class in my sophomore year of college. Much of the class, including myself, had lost points on an assignment for misidentifying feelings vs. emotions. My professor made emotion wheel printouts for everyone and we spent most of the class going over the differences between the two. 

Emotions occur independently and affect human behavior, emotional responses, and physical sensations (like smiling when we feel happy). They tend to be intense and brief, a reaction to one’s present reality. 

Feelings cannot exist without emotions, and are more specific to an individual and their external influences, like family/friends, culture, and faith. Feelings are a learned response to an emotional trigger, and often last longer than an emotion. For example: someone experiencing the emotion of joy. If they were to describe how they feel, they might say warm and fuzzy, deeply content, or burst into laughter.

Practicing mindfulness is about paying attention to the present moment without judgement. By applying this practice to your emotions, you notice and name the physical sensations, thoughts, and triggers associated with different feelings, without self- criticism. Journaling can be another helpful tool. Putting your emotions into words can help you identify patterns in your emotions and triggers over time. 

Recognizing and naming our emotions is more than a psychological skill; it’s a gateway to self- awareness, stronger relationships, and greater self- resilience. By taking the time to identify what we’re feeling and why, we can navigate life’s challenges with greater clarity and confidence. In a world that often encourages us to suppress or ignore our emotions, fostering greater emotional resilience is a radical act of self- care and growth.