7. How To: Know What You're *Really* Feeling

The episode starts with a review of Molly and Liza's experience labeling emotions over the last week. Liza shares a journaling strategy for observing emotions in order to design a more fulfilling life, and Molly explains how taking the time to check in with herself during a busy work day made her more effective. We then review the first step in coping with unwanted emotions: breaking them down into component parts. We hone in on the feeling of shame, as many individuals who struggle with emotion regulation are also highly shame-prone. We explore how feelings like shame and anger are related through a discussion of primary vs. secondary emotions, and how this distinction can help you identify how you're *really* feeling. We also describe how noticing anger as a secondary emotion to shame is particularly useful for understanding the concept of "white fragility," and we will continue to review skills to combat white fragility in the coming weeks. We switch it up this week by ending with a nerdy DBT emotion regulation mythbusters game. Enjoy!