What Am I Feeling? The Journey to Self Begins with a Question

The second key to mindfulness is emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize and accept your emotions. For me, this is still one of the hardest parts. When I first started working with psychologists, they would ask me, “What are you feeling?”—and I had no idea. I had to learn to identify my emotions from scratch. I printed out emotion charts and, step by step, tried to figure out what was going on inside me.

There were times when I felt like I was being torn apart, like a volcano was erupting in my stomach, and I still couldn’t tell what exactly I was feeling.

Understanding our emotions helps us respond more calmly to stressful situations and maintain our mental well-being. Without this, it’s hard to reach true emotional maturity.

I feel so happy seeing that kids in school today are being taught to name and understand their emotions using feeling charts. It’s such an important step toward growing into more mindful and emotionally resilient human beings.

It’s never too late to start observing your emotions. This process helps us discover more about who we are, unlocks new dimensions of our inner world, and supports personal growth. Mindful attention to our feelings lets us understand our reactions and needs on a deeper level—and that, in turn, leads to a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Right now, you can pause and check in with your emotions. It’s a powerful way to understand yourself better and reflect on how you respond to the world around you.

In the first comment, I’ve shared a list of core human emotions. More to come...