Journal Entry #27

In this activity, you will explore your ability to understand your own emotions
and recognize them as they are occurring. This ability is the foundation for all
other abilities constituting emotional intelligence.
1. Write about an experience when you felt one of the following
emotions: FRUSTRATION or ANGER, FEAR or ANXIETY, SADNESS OR
DEPRESSION.
Describe fully what happened and your emotional reaction. Because
emotions are difficult to describe, you may want to try a comparison
like this: Anger spread through me like a fire in a pile of dry hay. . . or
I trembled in fear as though I was the next person to stand before a
firing squad, or For weeks, depression wrapped me in a profound
darkness. Of course you will compose your own comparison. Your
journal entry might begin, Last week was one of the most frustrating
times of my entire life. It all began when. . . Importantly, be aware of
any emotion that you may feel as you are writing.
2. Write about an experience when you felt HAPPINESS or JOY.
Once again, describe fully what happened and your emotional
reaction. A possible comparison: Joy bubbled like champagne in my
soul, and I laughed uncontrollably. Importantly, be aware of any
emotions that you may feel as you are writing.
3. Write about any emotional changes you experienced as you describe
each of these two emotions. What did you learn or re-learn about how
you can affect your emotions?
If you werent aware of any changes in your present emotions as you
described past emotions, write as best as you can about why that
might be so. Were you not experiencing any emotions at all? Or could
you have been unaware of the emotions you were feeling?