WORDS AND AFFIRMATION TOOLS FOR EXPRESSING FEELINGS

 

Our words and beliefs are powerful. They shape our reality. Most of us have been brought up to censor and suppress our feelings. We have conditions of worth, beliefs and values that reinforce our avoidance for expressing our feelings honestly or accurately. In addition, we are, for the most part, unable to accurately label what we are feeling because we lack the vocabulary to do so.

Dr. Paul Standal has included below some positive affirmations to counter negative attributions that may be blocking your honest expressions of feeling. He has also included a list of feeling words, both positive and negative, to facilitate your ability to identify and express your feelings more accurately.

Positive Affirmations to Counter Negative Attributions

1. It is healthy to feel my feelings.
2. There is no such thing as a right or wrong feeling…all feelings are OK.
3. It is OK to feel what I am feeling now.
4. No one can take what I am currently feeling away from me. I have a right to feel my feelings.
5. No one can judge me wrongly for feeling the feelings I experience in my life.
6. It is OK to have negative feelings and to identify and express them freely.
7. Identifying and expressing my feelings makes me a real and authentic human being.
8. No one can deny me my feelings.
9. No one can tell me how I should be feeling.
10. No one has the right to make me feel bad or guilty for the feelings I am feeling.
11. I am more alive and vigorous when I am in touch with my feelings.
12. I have a right to have my feelings seen and heard by others.
13. I no longer hide my feelings and emotions from myself and others.
14. I deserve to give and receive honest feedback about my feelings toward persons, places, things, and events in my life.
15. I deserve to have my feelings listened to by others.
16. I choose to feel my feelings, be they positive or negative.
17. I have the right to experience grief and mourning in response to the losses in my life.
18. I will heal and grow as I become more in touch with my feelings.

Feeling Words

Use these lists of words to help you try to get in touch with your own feelings. Also use this list as you listen for the feelings of others in your conversations. Try to identify what you are feeling while simultaneously trying to identify what the other person is feeling.

Positive Feelings

Accepted	Supported	Acknowledged	Appreciated
Aware	Satisfied	Encouraged	Optimistic
Capable	Proud	Worthy	Deserving
Excited	Energetic	Fulfilled	Connected
Free	Independent	Confident	Competent
Loved	Lovable	Desirable	Happy
Peaceful	Relaxed	Motivated	Focused
Respected	Safe	Validated	Secure

Love, Affection, Concern, Interest

Absorbed	Altruistic	Brotherly	Congenial
Admired	Amiable	Caring	Conscientious
Adorable	Benevolent	Charitable	Considerate
Affected	Benign	Christian	Cooperative
Affectionate	Big-Hearted	Compassionate	Cordial
Agreeable	Honest	Comforting	Courteous
Dedicated	Honorable	Concerned	Curious
Devoted	Hospitable	Neighborly	Sweet
Easy-Going	Humane	Nice	Sympathetic
Empathetic	Inquiring	Obliging	Tender
Engrossed	Inquisitive	Open	Thoughtful
Excited	Interested	Optimistic	Tolerant
Fascinated	Intrigued	Patient	Truthful
Fair	Just	Peaceful	Trustworthy
Faithful	Kind	Pleasant	Understanding
Forgiving	Kind-Hearted	Polite	Unselfish
Friendly	Kindly	Reasonable	Warm
Generous	Lenient	Receptive	Warm-Hearted
Genuine	Good- Natured	Reliable	Well-Meaning
Giving	Loving	Respectful	Wise
Good	Mellow	Responsible	Helpful
Good-Humored	Mild	Sensitive	Moral
Comfortable

Elation, Joy

Airy	Exalted	Hilarious	Serene
Amused	Excellent	Humorous	Sparkling
Animated	Excited	In High Spirit	Spirited
At Ease	Exhilarated	Inspired	Splendid
Blissful	Exaltation	Jolly	Sunny
Buoyant	Fantastic	Jovial	Superb
Bright	Festive	Joyful	Terrific
Brilliant	Fine	Joyous	Thrilled
Calm	Fit	Jubilant	Tranquil
Cheerful	Free	Lighthearted	Tremendous
Comfortable	Frisky	Lively	Triumphant
Comical	Gay	Magnificent	Turned On
Complacent	Genial	Majestic	Vivacious
Contented	Glad	Marvelous	Witty
Convivial	Gleeful	Merry	Wonderful
Delighted	Glorious	Overjoyed	Easy
Ecstatic	Good	Peaceful	Enthusiastic
Elated	Grand	Playful	Happy
Elevated	Gratified	Pleasant	Proud
Enchanted	Great	Pleased	Satisfied

Eager

Agog	Avid	Enthusiastic	Hot-Headed
Anxious	Desirous	Fervent	Intense
Ardent	Earnest	Keen	Zealous

Potency, Strength, Fearlessness

Able	Durable	Influential	Sharp
Adequate	Dynamic	Intense	Skillful
Assured	Effective	Intrepid	Spirited
Audacious	Encouraged	Lion-Hearted	Stable
Authoritative	Energetic	Macho	Stouthearted
Bold	Enterprising	Manly	Strong
Brave	Fearless	Mighty	Sure
Capable	Firm	Powerful	Dauntless
Competent	Forceful	Reassured	Tough
Confident	Gallant	Resolute	Virile
Courageous	Hardy	Robust	Well-Equipped
Daring	Healthy	Secure	Determined
Dauntless	Self-Confident	Important

Negative Feelings

Uncomfortable	Rejected	Ignored	Unappreciated
Resentful	Bitter	Unloved	Hated
Unlovable	Undesirable	Angry	Sad
Hurt	Unaware	Confuse	Unsatisfied
Frustrated	Unsupported	Squelched	Thwarted
Obstructed	Discouraged	Pessimistic	Hopeless
Disrespected	Insulted	Mocked	Afraid
Insecure Tense	Frustrated	Bored	Lethargic
Unmotivated	Lost	Trapped	Controlled
Forced	Obligated	Dependent	Needy
Nervous	Worried	Scared	Incompetent
Inadequate	Dumb	Stupid	Guilty
Embarrassed	Ashamed	Unworthy	Undeserving
Inadequate	Depressed	Numb	Frozen
Empty	Invalidated	Disconnected	Isolated
Lonely

Depressed, Sad

Abandoned	Despised	Horrible	Pathetic
Alien	Despondent	Humiliated	Pitiful
Alienated	Destroyed	Ill At Ease	Rebuked
Alone	Discarded	In The Dumps	Regretful
Annihilate	Disconsolate	Jilted	Reprimanded
Awful	Discontented	Joyless	Rotten
Battered	Discouraged	Kaput	Ruined
Below Par	Disfavored	Left Out	Run Down
Blue	Disheartened	Loathed	Sans
Burned	Dismal	Lonely	Somber
Cast Off	Done For	Lonesome	Sorrowful
Cheapened	Downcast	Lousy	Spiritless
Cheerless	Downhearted	Low	Stranded
Crestfallen	Downtrodden	Melancholy	Sulky
Crushed	Dreadful	Miserable	Sullen
Dark	Dreary	Mishandled	Tearful
Debased	Estranged	Mistreated	Terrible
Defeated	Excluded	Moody	Unhappy
Degraded	Flat	Moping	Unloved
Dejected	Forlorn	Mournful	Upset
Demolished	Forsaken	Obsolete	Valueless
Depressed	Frowning	Ostracized	Washed Up
Desolate	Funeral	Out Of Sorts	Whipped
Despair	Gloomy	Overlooked	Woeful
Grim	Glum	Hated	Worthless
Heavy-Hearted	Wrecked	Grieving	Burdened

Hurt, Distressed

Aching	Disliked	Impatient	Skeptical
Afflicted	Displeased	Imprisoned	Speechless
Agonized	Dissatisfied	Injured	Strained
Anguished	Distrustful	In Pain	Stressed
At The Feet Of	Disturbed	Lost	Suffering
At The Mercy Of	Doubtful	Mournful	Suspicious
Awkward	Foolish	Nauseated	Swamped
Badgered	Futile	Offended	The Plaything Of
Bewildered	Grief	Pained	The Puppet Of
Blameworthy	Grieved	Pathetic	Tormented
Clumsy	Heartbroken	Perplexed	Touchy
Confused	Helpless	Puzzled	Tragic
Constrained	Hindered	Ridiculous	Ungainly
Crushed	Impaired	Sickened	Unlucky
Disgusted	Privation	Silly	Unpopular
Unsatisfied	Unsure	Victimized	Worried

Fear, Anxiety

Afraid	Fainthearted	Jittery	Shy
Aghast	Fearful	Jumpy	Strained
Agitated	Fidgety	Menaced	Stressful
Alarmed	Frightened	Misgiving	Suspicious
Anxious	Hesitant	Nervous	Tense
Appalled	High Anxiety	On Edge	Terrified
Apprehensive	Horrified	Overwhelmed	Terror-Stricken
Awed	Hysterical	Panicky	Threatened
Bashful	Ill At Ease	Paranoid	Timid
Chicken	In Fear	Petrified	Timorous
Cowardly	Insecure	Quaking	Tremulous
Desperate	Intimidated	Restless	Uncomfortable
Dismayed	Jealous	Scared	Uneasy
Doubtful	Bullied	Shaky	Worrying
Dread	Embarrassed	Shocked	Yellow

Belittling, Criticism, Scorn

Abused	Diminished	Made Light Of	Ridiculed
Belittled	Discredited	Maligned	Roasted
Branded	Disdained	Minimized	Scoffed At
Carped At	Disgraced	Mocked	Scorned
Caviled At	Disparaged	Neglected	Shamed
Censured	Humiliated	Not Taken Seriously	Slammed
Criticized	Ignored	Overlooked	Slandered
Defamed	Jeered	Poked Fun At	Slighted
Deflated	Lampooned	Pooh-Poohed	Thought Nothing Of
Deprecated	Laughed At	Pulled To Pieces	Underestimated
Spurned	Libeled	Put Down	Underrated
Derided

Doubtful

Distrustful	Indecisive	Questioning	Unbelieving
Dubious	Misgiving	Skeptical	Uncertain
Hesitant	Perplexed	Suspicious	Incredulity

Impotency, Inadequacy

Anemic	Flimsy	Insecure	Unable
Broken	Fragile	Insufficient	Unarmed
Broken Down	Frail	Lame	Uncertain
Chicken-Hearted	Harmless	Maimed	Unfit
Cowardly	Helpless	Meek	Unimportant
Crippled	Impotent	Nerveless	Unqualified
Debilitated	Inadequate	Paralyzed	Unsound
Defective	Incapable	Powerless	Unsubstantiated
Deficient	Incompetent	Puny	Useless
Demoralized	Indefensible	Shaken	Vulnerable
Disabled	Ineffective	Shaky	Weak
Effeminate	Inefficient	Sickly	Weak-Hearted
Exhausted	Inept	Small	Wimp
Exposed	Inferior	Strength-Less	Rudderless
Feeble	Infirm	Trivial	Dead Beat

Anger, Hostility, Cruelty

Aggravated	Cross	Hypercritical	Rebellious
Agitated	Cruel	Ill-Tempered	Reckless
Aggressive	Deadly	Impatient	Resentful
Angry	Cool	Incensed	Revengeful
Annoyed	Corrosive	Inconsiderate	Rough
Antagonistic	Dictatorial	Indignant	Rude
Arrogant	Disagreeable	Inflamed	Ruthless
Austere	Discontented	Infuriated	Sadistic
Bad-Tempered	Dogmatic	Inhuman	Savage
Belligerent	Enraged	Insensitive	Severe
Bigoted	Envious	Intolerable	Spiteful
Biting	Fierce	Intolerant	Stern
Bloodthirsty	Fuming	Irritated	Stormy
Blunt	Furious	Irate	Sulky
Boiling	Gruesome	Mad	Sullen
Bullying	Hard	Malicious	Unfeeling
Callous	Hard-Hearted	Mean	Unfriendly
Cantankerous	Harsh	Murderous	Unmerciful
Cold-Blooded	Hateful	Nasty	Unruly
Combative	Heartless	Obstinate	Vicious
Contrary	Hellish	Offended	Vindictive
Cranky	Hideous	Opposed	Violent
Critical	Hostile	Oppressive	Worked-Up
Provoked	Prejudiced	Outraged	Wrathful
Poisonous	Piqued	Perturbed	Wrought-Up