Emotional Granularity Exploration

EMOTIONAL GRANULARITY

By simply increasing our emotional vocabulary:

  • the more precisely we can experience ourselves and our world 
  • the more precise tools we can give our brain for handling the many challenges life throws at us
  • the more action-oriented emotions become
  • the less likely we are to freak out when experiencing intense emotions
  • the less likely we are to drown out our feelings with addictions or distractions
  • the more likely we are to find positive takeaways from difficult emotional experiences
  • the more skilled we naturally become in emotion regulation

The above is based on Lisa Feldman Barrett's emotional granularity, Here is an article written by her: Are You In Despair?That's Good

WHAT KIND OF EMOTIONS DO YOU EXPERIENCE?

STEP ONE: Snag your own Emotion List. It's free!

STEP TWO: Take a few minutes in your day a few different times during the day. Notice what emotions you are experiencing.

STEP THREE: Notice their intensity. Are they soft, mood states, or intense?

 TIP: how to experience anger and stability

Being granular with our emotions can help us experience our emotions and learn more about what triggers intensity. There is a difference between being fiery or raging and differences between healthy assertiveness and losing our cool. Anger can be an amazing emotion because of its fiery intensity. It's energizing! It can move us very quickly away from helplessness, it can provide justification and rationale, and it can also move us out of the slump of situational depression. 

Raging and losing it can be extremely damaging and cause consequences that blow back on us. Being granular with our emotions can help us be angry AND stable, predictable, and assertive in just the right amount.

Have fun! 

For more fun with emotional granularity, check out THE INTELLIGENCE INSIDE YOUR EMOTIONS EXPLORATION that builds on the concept of emotional granularity:

THE INTELLIGENCE INSIDE YOUR EMOTIONS: An owner's manual for emotions. Everything you need to know about each emotions gifts. Yup, we've included anger, sadness, joy, fear, plus many more in this guide to your emotions. And we share the questions to ask each emotion in a workbook that gives you space and ideas to help you work consciously with your emotions.

Andrea Watkins