Emotions Matter

The Emotions Matter Mindset validates and recognizes that all emotions are helpful in their own way. This mindset is built on a series of concepts including:

• The Language of Emotions

• The Impact of Emotions

• Being an Emotion Scientist vs. an Emotion Judge

The Language of Emotions

Emotions are immediate responses to stimuli: These relatively short-term responses are evoked by something real or imagined, causing shifts in our thoughts, physiology, expressions, and behaviors. 

Emotions inform our behavior: They act as helpful signals that guide our responses to people and situations. 

Emotions are adaptive: They change to meet the demands of different situations. We can look to the root of the word “emotion” to prove this point, as it originates from the Latin “mot” – or “move.” 

Although all emotions are important, we don’t always know the exact words to describe what we’re experiencing. We often use the terms emotions, moods, and feelings interchangeably.

However, each of these terms represents a unique emotional experience.

• Moods are less intense emotions. While moods may start off as emotions, they are longer in duration and may not have an easily identifiable cause.

• Feelings are private experiences about emotions.

• Emotions are short-term, immediate responses to a real or imagined stimulus in our environment.

Being an Emotion Scientist vs. Emotion Judge

What is an Emotion Judge?

Emotion judges are critical, reactionary, and make quick assumptions. They do not spend time reflecting on their own emotions or how they deal with them. They also are more interested in judging other people's feelings than learning how they feel. Or, worse, they may tell them how they are feeling. 

What is an Emotion Scientist?

An emotion scientist is someone who asks really good questions to ensure that they understand their own feelings, as well as other people's feelings. The emotion scientist is looking for themes and trying to understand what's behind people's behavior or inability to regulate emotions. 

You will notice here that a differentiating characteristic is that an Emotion Scientist seeks to understand their own (and others) emotions through a lens of inquiry, where the Emotion Judge understands emotion through judgement.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

• Emotional Intelligence is what we "do" with our emotions.

• It gives us a guide to understand the role of emotions, the information we gain from them, and our ability to manage them.

• We need these skills to be successful in school, at work, and in life.