The Power of Naming
Have you ever had one of those days where you just felt... off? You couldn't quite say if you were sad, irritated, tired, or all three. You just knew something wasn’t right. That cloudy swirl of emotional uncertainty is more common than most of us admit. But here's the good news: one of the simplest, most powerful tools to improve your wellbeing is something you already have—your words. More specifically, your ability to name your emotions.
This skill is called emotional granularity, and it plays a vital role in our mental health. Research in both Positive Psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) shows that people who can accurately identify and label their emotions experience better emotional regulation, less stress, and greater overall wellbeing. If you follow the brilliant Brené Brown, you may already know that research shows that even though we have a vast language at our disposal, we generally only use four or five words when it comes to describing our emotions. In her book Atlas of the Heart, she discusses this in depth. Why is it important to move past “sad, mad, happy” when naming our emotions? Let’s take a look.
The Emotion Wheel: A Tool for Clarity
If you've ever worked with a therapist, coach, or even flipped through a self-help book, you might have come across the emotion wheel. Created by psychologist Robert Plutchik, the wheel maps out a range of core emotions (like joy, anger, fear, and sadness) and their more nuanced counterparts (like contentment, frustration, anxiety, or grief). The purpose? To help you find just the right word for what you're feeling.
Why does this matter? Because saying "I'm mad" hits differently than saying "I'm frustrated" or "I'm betrayed." Each of these words offers a more specific insight into what’s going on inside, and that specificity is powerful. Naming your emotions precisely helps you understand what triggered them, what you need, and how best to respond.
Why Naming Emotions Improves Wellbeing
When you accurately name an emotion, you're activating the thinking part of your brain (the prefrontal cortex) and calming the reactive part (the amygdala). In other words, naming your feelings brings a sense of control. This process is sometimes referred to as "name it to tame it."
Here are a few ways this improves wellbeing:
Reduces emotional overwhelm: Labeling emotions can reduce their intensity. It's like turning the lights on in a dark room—suddenly things don't seem quite as scary.
Improves decision-making: When you know exactly what you're feeling, you're better equipped to choose a thoughtful response rather than react impulsively.
Strengthens communication: Being able to express your emotions clearly improves your relationships. Instead of saying "I'm fine" (when you're not), you can say "I'm feeling disappointed and disconnected."
Builds resilience: The more you practice naming your emotions, the easier it becomes to face challenging moments with clarity and confidence.
How to Use This Skill in Turbulent Times
Let’s be honest—we’re living in stressful times. Political division, social injustice, economic uncertainty, and the lingering effects of a pandemic have created a collective emotional rollercoaster. Being emotionally tuned-in is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.
Here’s how you can use emotional granularity to improve your wellbeing right now:
Pause and Check In: Take a few moments each day to ask yourself, "What am I feeling right now?" Try to go beyond the basics like "good" or "bad."
Use the Emotion Wheel: If you’re stuck, pull up an emotion wheel (there are plenty online). Start at the center with a basic emotion, then move outward to find the more specific one that fits.
Write It Down: Journaling even a few sentences about your emotions can help you process and clarify them.
Say It Out Loud: Sharing your emotions with a trusted friend, therapist, or even yourself in the mirror can help validate and release them.
Practice Without Judgment: Emotions aren't good or bad—they're information. Let yourself feel what you feel without trying to fix it right away.
Clarity is Power
In times of turbulence, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or shut down completely. But the path to peace and resilience starts with awareness. Naming your emotions is like turning on your inner GPS—you can’t chart a course forward if you don’t know where you are.
So the next time you feel that swirl of something, pause. Ask yourself, "What am I really feeling?" Then name it. Speak it. Write it. Let it guide you.
Because when you name your emotions, you take the first step toward mastering them—and toward creating the calm and clarity we all need right now.
Cheers, Sunday Morning Coffee-ites. Grab your cup o'joe (or beverage of choice), take a few box breaths, and unpack what you're feeling. Remember: we're in this together!
