This is my third instalment of a series for the super busy. You know who you are!

This Quickie is all about your emotional state. Spending a minute or two inquiring into your emotional state can help prevent your emotions from hijacking your mind and actions.

Here’s a 3-step process I like to use for assessing my emotional states. First you determine the VALENCE of your current emotional state (more on that in a minute), then you assess the INTENSITY of your emotional state, and lastly your choose the most precise LABEL for your state. Let’s go into each of these steps in a little more detail.

The first step in doing an inquiry into your emotional state is to ask yourself, is my overall state closer to being positive or negative. Alternative questions might be: Do I “feel good” or do I “feel bad” right now? Would I say I’m in a good mood or a bad mood? Do I feel more like getting something I need or want (food, water, exercise, fun, or some lovin’) or do I feel more like getting away from this situation, by leaving, hiding, avoiding or lashing out?

When assessing valence, try to force yourself to choose positive or negative. Even of it’s a tiny bit positive or a tiny bit negative, try to avoid saying “Neutral”. This will help with the next steps.

The second step is to ask yourself what the intensity of the emotion is. Think of the difference between being annoyed, being angry, and being furious. Those would be examples of low, medium or high intensity. Another example would be feeling “blah”, feeling sad, or feeling deeply depressed. Low, medium or high intensity. You could also ask yourself, how much energy does this emotional state have? How compelled do I feel to do something about it?

OK, now you have the valence, and the intensity. Time to find the right label.

Important note: don’t forget about positive states! They’re just as important as negative ones. Often when we think of “being emotional”, we limit our thinking to the more negatively charged emotions. Please make sure to notice positive states as well, like excitement, curiosity, engagement, love, connection, peace, calm, joy, etc.

OK. Lastly, try to think of the perfect label for your emotional state. Try to go beyond sad, mad, glad or scared. There are dozens, even hundreds of words to describe emotional states. Expand your vocabulary. Maybe you’re “nonplussed”. Maybe you’re inspired. Maybe you’re hesitant. Or perplexed. Try to find the word that really captures your current state. There are lots of sources that provide a wide variety of emotional labels, often called “wheel of emotions” that you could consult.

Remember that many feelings don’t last very long. Even in the minute or two that you’re doing this mindfulness quickie, your emotional state could change slightly. Cool! Notice THAT!

Also, keep in mind that our limbic systems never stop working. We’re always in SOME state or another. We’re never feeling NOTHING. So why not take a minute to tune into your state? Being aware beats unawareness any day of the week!