What exactly are feelings and emotions, then?
People often use the terms feelings and emotions interchangeably but they are different. At 5th Place we use the following definitions when it comes to emotions and feelings and building emotional fitness.
An example of the difference between a feeling and emotion
Feeling says: I have butterflies in my tummy.
Emotion says: I am nervous.
Feeling says: I have butterflies in my tummy.
Emotion says: I am excited.
Feeling says: I have butterflies in my tummy.
Emotion says: I am guilty.
The experience is unique and personal
Each feeling is unique, personal and varies from one situation to the next. Using emotion words or labels to describe feelings is useful to give a construct of the feeling but it isn’t the feeling. Unlike what we have been taught, emotions are not absolute nor are they universal. They are learned and constructed over time.
Consider that there are over 1.5 billion English speakers in the world. Take the feeling of joy. The dictionary says:
Joy is a state of happiness or bliss.
However, each time a feeling of joy is experienced, it is unique. There are no two feelings of joy that are the same. At a minimum, this means there are at least 1.5 billion versions of the feeling of joy. It doesn’t stop there, though. Each time you have an experience of joy it’s different, so there are actually an exponential number of joyous feelings, yet only one emotional label. The same applies to every feeling we experience, no matter what we choose to call it.
Consider cultures that don't speak English. The Machiguenga Indians of the Peruvian Amazon have no term for worry in the way that English speaking people use and understand it. Our concept of worried combines two meanings which are separate in Machiguenga: frightened (otsarogake) and pensive (okenkiake). [1]
Emotions are not universal
Most of us use emotion words to describe our feelings as if they are universally experienced and understood. Using emotion words to label what we are feeling can be useful if it helps us to better manage the way we feel but it can also move us away from being able to down-regulate what we are feeling.
Whenever we use words we are utilising the the cognitive or thinking part of our being and this can keep us stuck in our heads, trying to think our way out of a feeling problem, situation or space.
If we can't or don't want to experience what we are feeling, then we can use something like Shape of Emotion to release the emotion and and let it go.
References
- Johnson, Allen, Orna Johnson, and Michael Baksh. “The Colours of Emotions in Machiguenga.” American Anthropologist 88, no. 3 (September 1986): 674–81. https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1986.88.3.02a00110.
About the author
5th Place
5th Place is a dynamic organization that's passionate about emotional fitness. We're the creators of Shape of Emotion, a revolutionary tool that's changing the way we understand and manage our emotions. But we're not just about theory - we're about practical, tangible change.
We offer Emotional Fitness Classes and courses that help individuals, from children to adults, build emotional resilience and well-being. For our younger audience, we've created the Vibarealm, a vibrant universe that encourages a healthier interaction with emotions.
Join us on this journey to emotional fitness and let's make the world a better place together.