The Feeling Wheel for Men

What is the feeling wheel?

How it’s laid out

Each ring gets more specific as you move out from the center.

• CenterSix core feelings: joyful, powerful, peaceful, sad, mad, scared.
• MiddleThirty-six shades of those six.
• OuterSeventy-two exact words. This is where you land.

Why name what you feel

• It takes the edge off.Putting a feeling into words calms the part of the brain that sounds the alarm. Saying “I’m furious” turns the heat down.
• You react less and choose more.People who can tell “frustrated” from “betrayed” handle stress better. They’re less likely to drink it away or blow up at someone.
• You know what to do next.“Mad” doesn’t tell you much. “Resentful” tells you something has gone unsaid for too long.
• It’s easier to talk about.One exact word is easier to say to a partner, a friend or a doctor than “I’m off.”