Emotion Wheel
A free interactive feelings wheel to help you name what you're feeling. Start with a core feeling and tap inward to find a more precise word, from six core emotions to 48 more specific ones. Created by Louise Kelly, registered psychologist.
Name what you're feeling
Start with the feeling closest to how you are right now, then tap inward to find a more precise word, moving from a broad feeling to one of 48 more specific ones.
There's no right or wrong answer. Simply naming a feeling can help it feel a little more manageable.
This is a general wellbeing tool for self-reflection, not an assessment or a substitute for therapy. If strong feelings come up, be gentle with yourself. Support details are at the bottom of this page.
About the emotion wheel
What is an emotion wheel?
An emotion wheel, sometimes called a feelings wheel, is a simple visual tool that arranges emotions from broad core feelings at the centre out to more specific feelings at the edges. It helps you move from "I feel bad" toward a clearer, more precise sense of what's actually going on.
Why does naming a feeling help?
Putting feelings into words, what psychologists call affect labelling, can take some of the heat out of an emotion. Being able to name what you feel with a little more precision, often described as emotional granularity, is associated with managing emotions and communicating needs more easily. Naming isn't about getting rid of a feeling; it's about understanding it.
How do I use it?
Tap the core feeling closest to how you are right now, then keep tapping inward through the related feelings until you reach a word that fits. There's no right answer, and nothing is saved. It's a private, in-the-moment check-in you can use as often as you like.
Feelings included in this wheel
The wheel groups 48 feelings under six core emotions. If you'd rather read than tap, here is the full list, each with a short, plain-language description.
Happy
- Satisfied
- A settled sense that, for now, things are enough.
- Peaceful
- Calm and at ease, without much pulling at your attention.
- Energetic
- Lively and ready, with a sense of momentum.
- Cheeky
- Light and a little mischievous, in a good-natured way.
- Confident
- A steady trust in yourself and what you can do.
- Accomplished
- A sense of having done something that mattered to you.
- Affectionate
- Warm and tender toward someone you care about.
- Hopeful
- An openness to good things being possible.
Sad
- Isolated
- Feeling apart from others, even when people are around.
- Abandoned
- A sense of being left, or that no one is there for you.
- Disappointed
- Let down by how something, or someone, turned out.
- Let down
- A sense that something you relied on didn't hold.
- Fragile
- Tender, as though not much more could be carried right now.
- Exposed
- Open in a way that feels unsafe or unprotected.
- Grieving
- The deep ache of loss, in its own time and shape.
- Powerless
- As if nothing you do could change what's happening.
Angry
- Irritated
- A low, nagging friction that's hard to settle.
- Annoyed
- Bothered by something that keeps getting in the way.
- Bitter
- A lingering sting from something that felt unfair.
- Jealous
- Wanting something someone else has, and feeling its absence.
- Defensive
- Braced to protect yourself from blame or attack.
- Insecure
- Unsure of your footing, as if it could give way.
- Dismissive
- Wanting to wave something, or someone, away.
- Sceptical
- Doubtful, holding back trust until you're convinced.
Fearful
- Worried
- Mind circling around what might go wrong.
- Overwhelmed
- As if there's more to hold than you have room for.
- Not enough
- A sense of falling short of what's needed.
- Inferior
- Measuring yourself against others and coming up short.
- Helpless
- As though there's nothing you can do to feel safe.
- Frightened
- An alarmed, on-edge feeling of danger.
- Excluded
- Left on the outside of something you wanted to be part of.
- Unwanted
- A sense that you're not welcome or needed.
Surprised
- Shocked
- Caught off guard by something hard to take in.
- Stunned
- Briefly frozen, as the mind catches up.
- Disillusioned
- Let down as something turns out not to be as it seemed.
- Perplexed
- Puzzled, unsure what to make of what's happened.
- In awe
- Moved by something that feels bigger than the everyday.
- Astonished
- Taken aback by something you didn't expect.
- Eager
- Keen and leaning toward what's ahead.
- Inspired
- Lit up by an idea or possibility.
Disgusted
- Judgemental
- Holding something to a standard it isn't meeting.
- Appalled
- Strongly taken aback by something that feels wrong.
- Revolted
- A strong pull to turn away from something.
- Hesitant
- Holding back, unsure you want to go near it.
- Numb
- Switched off, with feeling at a distance.
- Distant
- Pulled back from people or things around you.
- Uneasy
- A quiet sense that something isn't quite right.
- Reluctant
- Unwilling, dragging your feet about something.
Finding it hard to sit with how you feel?
Understanding and working with difficult emotions is a central part of therapy. If you'd like support, you're welcome to book a session with Louise.
Crisis Support
If you need immediate help, please use a crisis service.
This website is not a crisis service. If you need urgent mental health support, call one of the services below. In an emergency, call 000.
Lifeline
13 11 14
Beyond Blue
1300 22 4636
The Butterfly Foundation
1800 33 4673