Communicating Emotions: Useful Words

Marshall Rosenberg’s book Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life offers an invaluable method for helping to resolve conflicts constructively, whether you’re directly involved or not, and even if you’re the only person there who knows anything about it.

Among the resources offered on the Nonviolent Communication Web site at http://www.cnvc.org/learn/resources is a list of words used to describe emotions. These are valuable in any kind of communication about feelings partly because of how tricky it sometimes is to convey exactly how we feel to another person and partly to help us differentiate between emotions and judgments.

Feelings when your needs are satisfied

AFFECTIONATE	CONFIDENT	GRATEFUL	PEACEFUL
compassionate	empowered	appreciative	calm
friendly	open	moved	clear headed
loving	proud	thankful	comfortable
open hearted	safe	touched	centered
sympathetic	secure		content
tender		INSPIRED	equanimous
	EXCITED	amazed	fulfilled
	amazed	awed	mellow
ENGAGED	animated	wonder	quiet
absorbed	ardent		relaxed
alert	aroused	JOYFUL	relieved
curious	astonished	amused	satisfied
engrossed	dazzled	delighted	serene
enchanted	eager	glad	still
entranced	energetic	happy	tranquil
fascinated	enthusiastic	jubilant	trusting
interested	giddy	pleased
intrigued	invigorated	tickled	REFRESHED
involved	lively		enlivened
spellbound	passionate	EXHILARATED	rejuvenated
stimulated	surprised	blissful	renewed
		ecstatic	rested
HOPEFUL		elated	restored
expectant		enthralled	revived
encouraged		exuberant
optimistic		radiant
		rapturous
		thrilled

Feelings when your needs are not satisfied

AFRAID	CONFUSED	EMBARRASSED
apprehensive	ambivalent	ashamed
dread	baffled	chagrined
foreboding	bewildered	flustered
frightened	dazed	guilty
mistrustful	hesitant	mortified
panicked	lost	self-conscious
petrified	mystified
scared	perplexed	FATIGUE
suspicious	puzzled	beat
terrified	torn	burnt out
wary		depleted
worried	DISCONNECTED	exhausted
	alienated	lethargic
ANNOYED	aloof	listless
aggravated	apathetic	sleepy
dismayed	bored	tired
disgruntled	cold	weary
displeased	detached	worn out
exasperated	distant
frustrated	distracted	PAIN
impatient	indifferent	agony
irritated	numb	anguished
irked	removed	bereaved
	uninterested	devastated
ANGRY	withdrawn	grief
enraged		heartbroken
furious	DISQUIET	hurt
incensed	agitated	lonely
indignant	alarmed	miserable
irate	discombobulated	regretful
livid	disconcerted	remorseful
outraged	disturbed
resentful	perturbed	SAD
	rattled	depressed
AVERSION	restless	dejected
animosity	shocked	despair
appaled	startled	despondent
contempt	surprised	disappointed
disgusted	troubled	discouraged
dislike	turbulent	disheartened
hate	turmoil	forlorn
horrified	uncomfortable	gloomy
hostile	uneasy	heavy hearted
repulsed	unnerved	hopeless
	unsettled	melancholy
	upset	unhappy
		wretched

(c) 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication
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