Understanding Emotions Through Apps

In today's digital age, there's an app designed for just about every aspect of our lives. One such app has been instrumental in my journey towards emotional development, and I believe it can be beneficial for you too.

The question arises: do we truly need an app to better understand our emotions? Can technology assist us in achieving emotional maturity? This discussion builds on my previous piece, where I explored the theory of constructive emotions and the vital role of concepts in emotional growth.

In this piece, I share my firsthand experience with an app that has clarified the theory and its practical application in my life. The app aids me in articulating my feelings, allowing me to identify which emotions align with my physical sensations more accurately. The app I’m referencing is called the Universe of Emotions.

Upon opening the app, I am greeted by a cosmic interface where each star symbolizes a different emotion. These emotions are organized into clusters based on similarity and are positioned within a two-axis framework: the vertical axis represents active and relaxed, while the horizontal axis covers positive and negative emotions. This setup enables me to fine-tune my emotional awareness and pinpoint the feelings that resonate with my current state.

Through my use of the app, I've discovered various insights that align with the concept of constructive emotions. For instance, I realized that the emotions I commonly use to describe my feelings are those I have culturally learned to identify. My understanding of these emotions stems from personal experiences and societal context, shaping the concepts that my brain utilizes. Consequently, these familiar emotions become my primary means of expressing how I feel.

I've recognized that my emotional vocabulary is quite limited. It's as if I only perceive the larger stars in the Universe of Emotions. However, when I zoom in, I am surprised by the myriad of more subtle emotions that I have yet to fully experience or articulate. While I may have a vague understanding of some, I lack the ability to genuinely feel or describe them. Reflecting on this, I realize that I don’t possess the conceptual framework necessary to differentiate between these emotions or to identify situations that may elicit them.

Let’s take a look at the contrast between the broader emotional landscape and the detailed nuances it contains.

The app provides me with a higher degree of precision in identifying my emotions and correlating them with my experiences. This process has allowed me to distinguish and develop a more refined understanding of my emotional states. For example, if I describe my feelings as confused, I can then zoom in to explore the specific emotions that might better capture my experience. Is it disorientation, disorder, diversion, or perhaps something else entirely?

By broadening my emotional vocabulary and conceptual framework, I can articulate my feelings with greater accuracy. This growth stems from my commitment to expanding my emotional repertoire.

I eagerly await updates to the app that may introduce even more emotions and nuanced distinctions within the emotional spectrum. It has truly aided me in enhancing my emotional understanding.

One recent emotion I discovered is the feeling of being harried. As I strive to write weekly, I've noticed an increase in commitments and activities that drain my time and energy. Have you ever felt this way?

I can’t help but wonder if the Universe is testing my resolve, challenging my commitment, or prompting me to establish better boundaries in my life. The app defines being harried as feeling strained due to ongoing demands. This emotion resides within the Activated Chaotic quadrant of the emotional spectrum, surrounded by feelings like concern, frustration, and exhaustion.

Previously, I couldn’t identify the emotion of being harried since it was absent from my mental lexicon. I would have simply described it as a blend of stress and annoyance. Now, I possess a finer understanding that allows me to recognize and articulate my emotional responses, ultimately leading to more appropriate actions—one of the key benefits of emotional development.

Engaging in this emotional exploration is worthwhile; it alleviates suffering and fosters clarity, focus, and alignment with oneself and others. Emotions are a fundamental part of the human experience, and a deeper understanding of them enriches our lives.

I hope this discussion sheds light on the significance of developing concepts to enhance our emotional capabilities. It is crucial to embrace our emotions and grow alongside them for a more fulfilling life.

I look forward to sharing more insights on Medium, where I will adopt a holistic approach to address the root causes of my feeling harried. This will involve examining triggers, reactions, beliefs, and the context of my relationships. Such an integrated approach is bound to yield significant improvements, as I’ve previously noted: we are more than our habitual actions.

Despite feeling harried, I’m here sharing my journey! I hope you find value in my insights and explore the links provided.

Thank you for your support!