OUR FEELINGS
Wherever we are, whatever we're doing, our view of the world is colored by our feelings. How do we feel when we lose our temper? Why are we sometimes "down in the dumps" and at other times "on top of the world"?
Everybody has feelings, but we all express our feelings in different ways. Some people keep their feelings to themselves. Others show their feelings so well that we say we can "read them like a book". The way we express our feelings may also depend on how we communicate with other people.
ANGER
What causes anger?
We often think of anger as a very strong feeling that can lead to an outburst of temper. More often, however, we experience milder forms of anger, such as irritation or impatience. Anger can come on suddenly in response to a particular situation, or it can build up over time. When we get angry at someone for teasing us, that anger often covers hurt feelings or shame. When our parents get angry at us for running out into the street, that anger often covers fear that we will be hurt.
These are the kinds of things that might make us angry.
Being teased
Things not working out for us
Not being allowed to do something we want to do
Being interrupted
Things that are not fair
What do we do when we are angry?
Shout
Bang their fists on the table
Stamp their feet
Walk away from someone
Slam doors
What happens to our body when we are angry?
Our mouth becomes dry
Our heart beats faster and more blood goes to the brain and muscles
The temperature of our skin rises
Our body begins to sweat to get rid of the heat made by all the muscle activity
SADNESS
What causes sadness?
Sometimes, when circumstances happen that hurt or upset us, we feel sad. Instead of being outgoing and cheerful with the people around us, we tend not to say much and prefer our own company. Other people might say we are feeling sorry for ourselves. Yet, sometimes we can feel sad because someone we care about is sad. We call this feeling empathy.
What do we do when we are sad?
What happens to our body when we are angry?
HAPPINESS
What causes happiness
When we feel loved and secure, and when things are going well in our lives, we are happy. Happiness comes in many forms. A lasting feeling of happiness can lead to a sense of contentment, while a pleasant surprise can give us a sudden feeling of joy or excitement.
What do we do when we are happy?
What happens to our body when we are happy?
FEAR
What causes fear?
People can be afraid for all kinds of reasons. We can feel nervous or worried about sitting an exam or meeting someone for the first time. Being nervous is a mild form of fear, which we often experience in everyday situations. Occasionally, however, we might be so afraid of something that we are "frozen" with fear, unable to do anything about the situation. If we are watching a scary movie, we might even enjoy being frightened. It makes us excited, and the relief of everything turning out all right in the end makes us feel good inside.
What do we do when we are scared?
What happens to our body when we are scared?
EMBARRASSMENT
What causes embarrassment?
No matter how hard we try, form time to time, things happen that make us feel uncomfortable, awkward or stupid in front of other people. We call this feeling embarrassment. We lose our confidence and can even feel ashamed of ourselves.
What do we do when we are embarrassment?
What happens to our body when we are embarrassment?
written by Cheryl Semple
