
Emotions create the feelings that allow us to know ourselves
Emotions occur in the subcortical region of the brain and respond to external triggers creating the biological and chemical reactions in the body. Learning the language of our emotions and accompanying feelings, as well as when we are hiding from them, is what self-awareness is all about. To ignore what our body is telling us through this message system can cause inner conflict and dis-ease when we go against our own best interests simply because we aren’t aware of our needs and wants.
For the sake of simplicity we will take from Parrott’s Love-Joy-Anger-Sorrow-Fear tree structure of emotions.
Primary emotion |
Secondary emotion |
Tertiary emotion |
Love | Affection | Adoration · Fondness · Liking · Attractiveness · Caring · Tenderness · Compassion · Sentimentality |
Lust/Sexual desire | Desire · Passion · Infatuation | |
Longing | Longing | |
Joy | Cheerfulness | Amusement · Bliss · Gaiety · Glee · Jolliness · Joviality · Joy · Delight · Enjoyment · Gladness · Happiness · Jubilation · Elation · Satisfaction · Ecstasy · Euphoria |
Zest | Enthusiasm · Zeal · Excitement · Thrill · Exhilaration | |
Contentment | Pleasure | |
Pride | Triumph | |
Optimism | Eagerness · Hope | |
Enthrallment | Enthrallment · Rapture | |
Relief | Relief | |
Anger | Irritability | Aggravation · Agitation · Annoyance · Grouchy · Grumpy · Crosspatch |
Exasperation | Frustration | |
Rage | Anger · Outrage · Fury · Wrath · Hostility · Ferocity · Bitter · Hatred · Scorn · Spite · Vengefulness · Dislike · Resentment | |
Disgust | Revulsion · Contempt · Loathing | |
Envy | Jealousy | |
Torment | Torment | |
Sorrow | Suffering | Agony · Anguish · Hurt |
Sadness | Depression · Despair · Gloom · Glumness · Unhappy · Grief · Sorrow · Woe · Misery · Melancholy’ | |
Disappointment | Dismay · Displeasure | |
Shame | Guilt · Regret · Remorse | |
Neglect | Alienation · Defeatism · Dejection · Embarrassment · Homesickness · Humiliation · Insecurity · Insult · Isolation · Loneliness · Rejection | |
Sympathy | Pity · Sympathy | |
Fear | Horror | Alarm · Shock · Fear · Fright · Horror · Terror · Panic · Hysteria · Mortification |
Nervousness | Anxiety · Suspense · Uneasiness · Apprehension (fear) · Worry · Distress · Dread |
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