Often confused feelings

Guilt is painful awareness that you caused harm or broke a rule. Shame is the shrinking feeling that your whole self is flawed.

Embarrassment is hot, self-conscious discomfort at being exposed in a moment. Shame is the shrinking feeling that your whole self is flawed.

Envy is a gnawing want for what someone else has. Jealousy is fearful, possessive anxiety about losing what is already yours.

Regret is the painful wish that you had acted differently. Remorse adds a desire to make amends for the harm.

Fear is an alarm signal about something threatening your safety now. Anxiety is persistent worry about what might go wrong.

Panic is frantic, uncontrollable fear in which clear thought is lost. Terror is paralysing and extreme; the mind goes blank.

Horror is shocked, revolted fear at something deeply wrong. Loathing is intense, visceral hatred and revulsion.

Overwhelm is too much input at once, exceeding your capacity. Turmoil is churning inner chaos, multiple emotions at war.

Sadness is a heavy, downward pull where the world loses colour. Grief is deep, gutting sorrow from losing someone or something.

Sadness is a heavy, downward pull with a cause you can often name. Melancholy is poetic and lingering, without a sharp cause.

Loneliness is an aching emptiness from disconnection with others. Solitude is peaceful, chosen aloneness: not lonely, just alone.

Nostalgia is bittersweet warmth for the past, happy and sad at once. Saudade is the Portuguese word for melancholic longing for something loved and absent.

Empathy is feeling what another person feels inside yourself. Sympathy is understanding and caring about their pain from your own place.

Pity is sympathetic sadness for another's suffering, felt from above. Sympathy is understanding and caring about their pain, felt beside them.

Pity is sympathetic sadness for another's suffering. Compassion is a moved, caring response that leans toward helping.

Affection is warm, fond feeling for someone you care about. Warmth is a gentler, more general glow towards someone or something.

Anger is a hot, forceful energy against a wrong or obstacle. Rage is explosive and uncontrollable; you see red.

Annoyance is mild: a small thing grates on you. Irritation is persistent, low-level aggravation that stays.

Contempt is cool dismissal: someone is beneath your regard. Disdain is cold superiority mixed with that dismissal.

Outrage is fierce, moral anger at something deeply wrong. Moral fervour is the burning conviction of being on the side of right.

Awe is vast, humbling wonder at something far larger than you. Wonder is captivated curiosity at something mysterious or beautiful.

Amazement is stunned wonder the mind cannot quite process. Awe is vast and humbling, felt before something far larger than you.

Curiosity is a pull to explore, learn or understand something. Wonder is captivated, receiving rather than reaching.

Confusion is the mind groping for sense and finding none yet. Bewilderment adds disorientation; the ground shifts under you.

Happiness is a steady, warm sense of well-being. Joy is brighter and deeper, a warm feeling of deep satisfaction.

Excitement is a buzzing, energised thrill about what is happening. Exhilaration is the rush itself, a thrilling surge of aliveness.

Satisfaction is the settled feeling when needs or desires are met. Contentment is quiet satisfaction with how things are right now.

Peacefulness is a still, undisturbed inner quiet. Serenity is that calm carried with gentle contentment.

Boredom is flat, unstimulated disengagement; nothing holds interest. Ennui is listless and world-weary, a boredom with life itself.

Boredom is disengagement because nothing holds interest right now. Apathy is the complete absence of caring; nothing stirs you.