How Well Do You Know Your Emotions?

Subscribe to the weekly podcasts now: 

Awareness Advantage Podcast
How Well Do You Know Your Emotions?

Kevin McCarthy, and Likky Lavji

The Emotions Wheel, by Dr Albert Wong, starts with seven core emotions and uses color to distinguish the different starting points. The 7 core emotions translate into over 100 feelings and emotions all the combinations of emotions that we all feel -- happy+sad, mad+frustrated, angry+surprised!

So many emotions... so how do we pin down what it is we are really feeling?

The answer: an emotion wheel.

American psychologist Dr. Wong proposed that there are 7 primary emotions that serve as the foundation for all others: surprise, bad, afraid, angry, disgust, sad and happy.

With these primary emotions we can begin to understand all of the thousands of distinct emotions, and then work through these emotions! In those moments when we have intense and confusing feelings, the Emotions Wheel can be particularly helpful and allow us to remain as objective as possible.

By identifying the emotion(s), we feel we can sit with them, work on them and resolve them. Knowing what we are really feel, gives power, and voice--it validates and, if needed, it begins the healing process!

Raising your self-awareness and emotional intelligence will make you a better leader. High self-awareness equips you to identify and conquer the blind spots that lead to poor decisions, strained relationships and high levels of stress. Awareness is the leader’s superpower that drives engagement, inspires retention and shifts culture. Awareness gives you the advantage you need to influence and inspire the people you lead.

If you would like to know more about how self-awareness makes a better leader, download our latest podcast.