You’re not just HAVING feelings – you’re LEARNING about them. And every time you feel a feeling and handle it well, you’re getting braver and stronger.
So next time a big feeling visits, try saying: “Hello feeling! I see you. What are you trying to tell me? The bravest thing you can do is feel what you feel, ask for help when you need it, and remember that all feelings pass eventually; even the uncomfortable ones.
Some kids think being brave means never feeling scared, sad, or angry. But that’s not true! Real bravery is feeling your feelings, understanding them, and knowing what to do with them.
Let’s go on an adventure inside YOUR heart!
Meet Your Feelings Family
Inside you, there’s a whole family of feelings. They all live together, and they ALL have important jobs. Let’s meet them!
Your Feelings Are Your Friends
Here’s the big secret that grown-ups sometimes forget: Your feelings are not your enemies. They’re not things to fight or hide from. They’re your friends, trying to help you!
Each feeling is like a messenger bringing you important information:
- Happiness says “More of this please!”
- Sadness says, “I need comfort and time”
- Anger says “Something needs to change!”
- Fear says “Let’s be careful”
- Excitement says “Something good is coming!”
When you make friends with all your feelings; even the uncomfortable ones, you become a Feelings Expert. And that’s a superpower that will help you your whole life!
Remember: There are no bad feelings, only feelings that feel bad. Big difference!
Feelings Myths (Not True!)
Myth #1: “Big kids don’t cry”
Truth: Everyone cries! Crying is your body’s way of releasing sad feelings. Even adults cry. It’s healthy and brave.
Myth #2: “Being angry is bad”
Truth: Anger is just a feeling, not bad or good. What matters is what you DO with anger. Feeling it? Totally okay. Hitting someone? Not okay.
Myth #3: “Boys shouldn’t feel scared” or “Girls shouldn’t get angry”
Truth: ALL people feel ALL feelings! Feelings aren’t for certain genders. Everyone feels everything.
Myth #4: “If you ignore feelings, they go away”
Truth: Ignored feelings actually get BIGGER! They’re like beach balls you push underwater – they pop back up stronger. It’s better to feel them.
Myth #5: “You should always be happy”
Truth: No one feels happy all the time! All feelings are okay and normal. Trying to be happy all the time actually makes you more stressed.
Myth #6: “Feelings control you”
Truth: Feelings are information and energy. YOU are in charge of what you do about them. You can feel angry AND choose not to hit. You can feel scared AND still try something new.
Feelings Challenges (Try These!)
Challenge #1: Feelings Check-In
Three times today, stop and ask yourself “How do I feel right now?” Name the feeling(s). That’s it! Just notice.
Challenge #2: Feelings Faces
Make faces in the mirror showing different feelings. How does your face look when you’re angry? Surprised? Sad? Happy? Scared?
Challenge #3: Feelings Colors
Pick a color for each feeling. Then draw a picture of your day using those colors to show which feelings you had!
Challenge #4: Feelings in Others
Watch people (family, friends, people in shows) and guess what they’re feeling. How did you know?
Challenge #5: Calm Down Practice
When you’re feeling CALM (not upset), practice your calm-down tools. That way they’ll work better when you really need them!
Challenge #6: Feelings Appreciation
Think about a time each feeling helped you:
- When did anger help you stand up for yourself?
- When did fear keep you safe?
- When did sadness help you heal?
- When did joy make life sweet?
What are mixed feelings?
Sometimes it’s hard to find words for feelings. Here are some sentences you can use:
When you need help:
- “I’m feeling ____ and I need help”
- “My ___ feeling is too big right now”
- “Can you sit with me while I feel sad?”
- “I need a hug”
When someone asks “What’s wrong?”:
- “I’m feeling ___ because ___”
- “I don’t know why I feel this way, but I feel ___”
- “Everything feels like too much right now”
- “I’m okay, I just need some quiet time”
When you’re angry at someone:
- “I feel angry when you ___”
- “That hurt my feelings”
- “I need some space right now”
- “I’m too upset to talk right now, but I will later”
When you’re proud of handling feelings:
- “I felt really angry but I took deep breaths instead of yelling!”
- “I was scared but I tried it anyway”
- “I felt sad so I asked for a hug and it helped”
Superpower #1: The Pause Button
When a big feeling comes, you can pause before reacting!
How: Take 3 deep breaths, count to 10, walk away for a minute, get a drink of water
Why it’s super: You get to CHOOSE what to do instead of just reacting
Superpower #2: Feelings Detective
You can figure out WHY you’re feeling something!
Ask yourself:
- What happened right before I felt this?
- Did someone say or do something?
- Am I hungry? Tired? (Sometimes feelings are actually body needs!)
- Does this remind me of something else?
Why it’s super: When you know WHY you feel something, you can fix it or feel better about it
Superpower #3: The Feelings Weather Report
Feelings come and go like weather! No feeling lasts forever.
Practice saying:
- “Right now I feel sad, but feelings change”
- “This angry feeling is visiting, but it will leave”
- “I’m in a worry storm, but storms pass”
Why it’s super: You don’t get stuck in feelings because you remember they’re temporary
Superpower #4: Feelings for Others (Empathy)
You can recognise feelings in OTHER people and be kind to them!
How to tell what others feel:
- Look at their face (frowning? smiling? eyebrows scrunched?)
- Listen to their voice (loud? quiet? shaky?)
- Watch their body (slumped? bouncy? tense?)
- Ask! “Are you okay?” or “How are you feeling?”
Why it’s super: You become an amazing friend who understands and helps others
Superpower #5: Calm Down Magic
You can calm yourself down when feelings get too big!
Magic tricks:
- 5-4-3-2-1 Game: Name 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, 1 thing you taste
- Color Breathing: Imagine breathing in your favorite calm color, breathing out your upset feeling as a different color
- Squeeze and Release: Squeeze all your muscles tight for 5 seconds, then let them go floppy
- Safe Place Imagination: Close your eyes and imagine your favorite peaceful place
Why it’s super: You don’t need someone else to always calm you down – you can do it yourself!
Time to make the feelings expert promise
As a Feelings Expert, you understand that:
- All feelings are okay – they’re just information and energy
- No feeling lasts forever – they come and go like waves
- You can feel feelings without letting them control your actions
- It’s brave to feel difficult feelings instead of pushing them away
- Talking about feelings makes them easier to handle
- Everyone feels all the feelings – you’re not alone
- You can learn to be friends with every feeling
- Feelings make you human and help you connect with others
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