Tool from the course

The feelings wheel

From the inside out: from a core feeling to the precise word. The wheel helps name a feeling more precisely, in daily life and in team check-ins.

Joy Joy content relieved proud calm optimistic cheerful uplifted delighted enthusiastic grateful connected happy Surprise Surprise curious astonished confused fascinated impressed taken aback eager puzzled speechless overwhelmed horrified stunned Fear Fear worried unsure tense startled spooked frightened panicked overloaded helpless uneasy restless nervous Sadness Sadness downcast lonely disappointed desperate hopeless dejected resigned discouraged hurt lost missing someone melancholic Disgust Disgust rejecting disgusted contemptuous belittling disdainful disapproving repelled reluctant unwilling fed up listless bored Anger Anger cross annoyed frustrated irate aggressive grim outraged offended bitter impatient irritable irritated How do I feel right now?

The six core feelings

Each core feeling has three levels: the core feeling in the centre, three close words in the middle of the wheel and nine more precise words on the outside.

Joy

Joy shows that something is going well or feels good. It often appears when something important is fulfilled: closeness, success, ease, a conversation that worked. Naming it precisely makes such moments easier to find again.

Often about: connection, appreciation, meaning, ease

  • content
  • relieved
  • proud
  • calm
  • optimistic
  • cheerful
  • uplifted
  • delighted
  • enthusiastic
  • grateful
  • connected
  • happy

Surprise

Surprise is a short moment in which something does not match what was expected. It can tip in either direction: toward curiosity and wonder or toward confusion and shock. The feeling that follows says more than the surprise itself.

Often about: orientation, clarity, new experiences

  • curious
  • astonished
  • confused
  • fascinated
  • impressed
  • taken aback
  • eager
  • puzzled
  • speechless
  • overwhelmed
  • horrified
  • stunned

Fear

Fear signals that something feels uncertain or threatening. The body prepares to be alert. The more precise word (worried, overloaded, helpless) shows what is needed right now.

Often about: safety, orientation, support, stability

  • worried
  • unsure
  • tense
  • startled
  • spooked
  • frightened
  • panicked
  • overloaded
  • helpless
  • uneasy
  • restless
  • nervous

Sadness

Sadness shows a loss, a disappointment or something that is missing. It slows us down and turns attention inward. It often needs time, closeness or some form of expression before it shifts.

Often about: comfort, closeness, time, being seen

  • downcast
  • lonely
  • disappointed
  • desperate
  • hopeless
  • dejected
  • resigned
  • discouraged
  • hurt
  • lost
  • missing someone
  • melancholic

Disgust

Disgust and aversion show that something does not fit, repels or no longer gives energy. In this wheel, listlessness and boredom belong here too. The feeling often marks a boundary or a wish for distance.

Often about: distance, boundaries, meaning, fit

  • rejecting
  • disgusted
  • contemptuous
  • belittling
  • disdainful
  • disapproving
  • repelled
  • reluctant
  • unwilling
  • fed up
  • listless
  • bored

Anger

Anger shows that a boundary was touched or that something feels unfair. It brings energy to act. Underneath there is often hurt, exhaustion or an unmet need.

Often about: respect, boundaries, being heard, fairness

  • cross
  • annoyed
  • frustrated
  • irate
  • aggressive
  • grim
  • outraged
  • offended
  • bitter
  • impatient
  • irritable
  • irritated

The wheel in a team check-in

  1. Share the wheelPut the link in the Teams chat or the meeting invitation, or add the image to the agenda.
  2. Find one wordEach person reads the centre ("How do I feel right now?"), picks a core feeling and moves outward until a word fits.
  3. Write it in the chatOne to three words, without explanation. This takes about ten seconds.
  4. Listen without judgingAnyone who wants to say more can do so. Anyone who finds no fitting word writes "no word", which counts as a complete answer.

Repeated at the start of a meeting over several weeks, the vocabulary grows with practice.

Good to know

The words are suggestions for everyday use, not a diagnosis. The wheel is inspired by the model of Robert Plutchik. The English words are a close translation of the German wheel.

Umbrella words such as "good", "bad" or "okay" are not on the wheel. The wheel helps find the more precise feeling underneath.

More from the programme

The feelings wheel is part of Emotional Intelligence in Action, a programme that accompanies teams and leaders through eight live sessions.

See the programme