Feelings wheel: find the word for it.

How to use the feelings wheel

1. Start broad. Pick the feeling in the centre that is closest, even if it is not quite right.
2. Narrow it down. Choose the more specific feeling that fits better, then the exact word.
3. Say it out loud. Finish the sentence “Right now I feel…, because…”. Hearing yourself say it often makes it clearer.

This wheel has 6 broad feelings and 48 precise words. It is our own version, built around the everyday moments Hilo is made for. There is no right answer, and you can feel more than one thing at once. Go back and pick again whenever you like.

Why put a name to a feeling?

“I feel bad” is hard to do anything with. “I feel stretched thin” points somewhere: too much on your plate. A more precise word makes it easier to explain yourself to someone else, to notice patterns over time, and to decide what might help. Many people find that simply naming a feeling takes a little of its edge off.

What to do with the word

• Write or say one sentence about it. Our journal prompt generator can give you a starting question.
• If it feels big, slow down first. A minute with the breathing timer can help you settle before you think it through.
• Notice it over a week. Checking in at the same time each day, for example during a wind-down, shows you which feelings keep coming back.