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Basic Emotions

Decoding Feelings

by Joshua Freedman, Draft - Oct 18, 2008

Every emotion is a message. It's tough to decode the info, especially because we often have multiple, paradoxical, and layered feelings at once. One key is to identify thebasic "categories" of feelings at any given time.

Every emotion has value and helps people survive and thrive in the "pack." Here are some tips for understanding the basic emotions:


Cause: My way is blocked.

Question: What is in the way?

Opportunity: When the focus becomes clear, anger turns into passion for change.

Value: Anger helps clarify priorities and builds energy for change.


Cause: I perceive something coming.

Question: What important thing is coming?

Opportunity: Anticipation is usually tied to something like fear or joy - being clear about the part that's "anticipation" helps you seperate the current reality from you imagined reality.

Value: Anticipation helps you prepare for the future.


Cause: A wish is fulfilled or a preference is met - "things go the way you want."

Question: What do you want to maintain?

Opportunity: When you are clear what gives you joy, you understand more clearly what you want.

Value: Joy helps motivate you to do something again, it gives energy.

Trust (Acceptance)

Cause: You perceive that you belong / are protected

Question: What do you want to embrace?

Opportunity: When you are clear what you trust, you know what risks you can take.

Value: Trust helps you assess the safety of a situation and the strength of your connections with others.


Cause: You are uncertain about safety and commitment

Question: What is at risk?

Opportunity: When you become clear about a fear, you know what to take care of. Fear turns to concern to compassion to commitment.

Value: Fear helps you clarify what you care about and what needs protecting.


Cause: Something unexpected happens

Question: What is unexpected?

Opportunity: Surprise can produce energy to either combat or embrace the unexpected.

Value: Surprise turns your attention to something new.


Cause: You are losing (or at risk of losing) someone/something about which you care.

Question: What (that you love) are you losing?

Opportunity: When you understand what you're sad about you develop a kind of peace and connection.

Value: Sadness helps you clarify what's most important and reinforce what you should create in the future.


Cause: Something violates your principles / values

Question: What rules are broken?

Opportunity: When you clarify what's disgusting you it pushes you to confront or correct.

Value: Disgust helps you know your boundaries and principles.


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Basic Emotions
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