4 you bucket of emotions

Draw a water line across the bucket where you think your emotional level is right now; for example, if your emotional level is quite low right now, you might draw the line below the halfway point; if it’s high, you might put it at the top of the bucket. After you’ve drawn your line, think about what emotions are present for you right now and write their names on the blanks provided. If you’re not sure what emotions you’re feeling, you may need to come back to this exercise after completing chapter 2. If you’re able to fill in the blanks now, do so, and then answer the questions that follow.

How did it feel to name your emotions during this exercise?

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Did you notice anything about your emotions as you were naming them? For example, did you begin to experience more emotions, or fewer?

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Write some notes about your emotions in general; for example, do you think your bucket tends to overflow or do you think it’s usually at a manageable level? Are you often aware of your emotions or do you tend to ignore them?

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Mindfulness and Your Physical Sensations

Have you ever noticed that emotions usually come with physical sensations? For example, when you’re feeling sad, you might notice that your throat gets tight, your eyes get watery, and you have the urge to cry. Or when you’re angry, you might notice that you turn red, your heart starts to beat faster, and your muscles tighten up.

Our physical sensations can often be a really good indicator of how we feel emotionally. Being mindful of our physical sensations, therefore, can help us be more aware of our emotions, which gives us more control over them. The first step is to become familiar with how your emotions feel in your body.