Managing Emotions During Career Change and Job Search, Part Two

Half the battle in successfully managing your emotions during a job search or career change process is in recognizing and naming what you're feeling. Most of us could barely brainstorm a dozen or so emotions, yet many, many more exist.

As you begin naming what you're feeling, this list of emotions, each arrayed within a cluster of similar but different emotions, will help you expand your awareness of the depth and breadth of all that you feel in the course of any given day:

Happy:

• buoyant
• festive
• playful
• brisk
• generous
• pleased
• calm
• glad
• relaxed
• carefree
• grateful
• restful
• cheerful
• hilarious
• satisfied
• comfortable
• inspired
• serene
• complacent
• jolly
• surprised
• contented
• joyous
• sparkling
• ecstatic
• jubilant
• spirited
• elated
• lighthearted
• thrilled
• enthusiastic
• merry
• vivacious
• excited
• optimistic
• exhilarated
• peaceful

Eager:

• anxious
• earnest
• keen
• ardent
• enthusiastic
• proud
• avid
• excited
• zealous
• desirous
• intent
  

Doubtful:

• defeated
• hopeless
• skeptical
• dubious
• indecisive
• suspicious
• evasive
• perplexed
• unbelieving
• distrustful
• pessimistic
• uncertain
• helpless
• powerless
• wavering
• hesitant
• questioning
  

Physical:

• alive
• paralyzed
• tense
• breathless
• repulsed
• tired
• empty
• sluggish
• uptight
• feisty
• stretched
• weak
• hollow
• strong
• weary
• immobilized
• sweaty
• nauseated
• taut
  

Sad:

• ashamed
• dull
• quiet
• blah
• embarrassed
• somber
• choked up
• gloomy
• sorrowful
• compassionate
• heavy
• hearted
• sulky
• concerned
• ill
• at ease
• sullen
• disappointed
• in the dumps
• sympathetic
• discontented
• low
• shameful
• discouraged
• melancholy
• unhappy
• dismal
• moody
• useless
• dreadful
• mournful
• worthless
• dreary
• out of sorts
  

Hurt:

• aching
• heartbroken
• pathetic
• afflicted
• injured
• suffering
• cold
• isolated
• tortured
• crushed
• lonely
• worried
• despair
• offended
• distressed
• pained
  

Affectionate:

• aggressive
• loving
• tender
• appealing
• passionate
• warm
• seductive
• close
• sexy
  

Afraid:

• alarmed
• fidgety
• pressured
• anxious
• frightened
• shaky
• appalled
• gutless
• shocked
• apprehensive
• hesitant
• scared
• awed
• horrified
• suspicious
• cautious
• hysterical
• terrified
• cowardly
• impatient
• threatened
• dependent
• insecure
• timid
• dismayed
• nervous
• tragic
• doubtful
• panicky
• worried
• fearful
• petrified
  

Angry:

• annoyed
• frustrated
• offended
• awkward
• fuming
• provoked
• belligerent
• furious
• resentful
• bewildered
• grumpy
• stubborn
• bitter
• indignant
• sulky
• boiling
• infuriated
• sullen
• confused
• inflamed
• wrathful
• cross
• irate
• enraged
• irritated
  

Fearless:

• bold
• determined
• loyal
• brave
• encouraged
• proud
• confident
• hardy
• reassured
• courageous
• impulsive
• secure
• daring
• independent
  

Interested:

• absorbed
• engrossed
• intrigued
• concerned
• excited
• curious
• fascinated
  

Miscellaneous:

• bored
• envious
• mixed-up
• cruel
• humble
• preoccupied
• distant
• jealous

Print this list and try reviewing one or more times daily to expand your awareness of what you're feeling and build your emotional vocabulary. The more you know about your own feelings, the more equipped you will be to deal with them safely and appropriately throughout your career.

Cheryl Lynch Simpson is a Spiritual Director and Solutions Coach who helps women discover and create the life they've always wanted to live. Cheryl is the author of over 30 print/Internet articles and the founder of Coaching Solutions For Women, a coaching website that produces and showcases career, business, and life solutions that improve the life balance of today's busy women. For a complimentary copy of her latest e-book, Ten-Minute Stress Zappers for Women Service Business Owners, visit http://www.coachingsolutionsforwomen.com.

---

Get Inspired About Your Career

Get Inspired about Your CareerDo you linger in bed long... Read More

The Ripple Effect of Fear

Unemployment carries a lot of emotional baggage for most of... Read More

Air Liquide: Driving Liquid Air

Have you ever heard of liquid air? The process of... Read More

Behaviour To Climb The Stepping Stones To Career Success

The heading of this article could just as well have... Read More

Why Employers Want an Employee with a Degree

You wake up in the morning, head to work, and... Read More

Get a Job! Tips for Organizing Your Resume

Whether you're a Vice President of Marketing or a recent... Read More

The Role of a Medical Assistant in a Modern Medical Practice

Many physicians are unsure of what tasks are appropriate to... Read More

Targeting Your Resume is So Important For Your Career

Targeting your portfolio, (resume and cover letter) can get you... Read More

10 Tips For Writing A Winning Resume

Your resume (or curriculum vitae), combined with the cover letter,... Read More

No Experience? No Problem!

Are you a new graduate with little or no work... Read More

Employment Law: Unfair Dismissal - Employer Succeeded in Changing Terms of Employment

Good News for Employers wishing to change the terms of... Read More

How To Take The Pain Out Of Performance Reviews

The Painful ApproachFor many years, "performance management" was of an... Read More

Are You In A Groove Or A Rut?

Ruts: the routines in our work and lives that have... Read More

10 Key Career Success Questions

At some point in every professional or managerial career, there... Read More

Conflicts With Your Boss Are Inevitable, But Can Be Healthy

If you are a pro-active, get-things-done type, sooner or later... Read More

Learn How To Network for HIDDEN Jobs

I'll quickly cover the following:A) Why Network With People? B)... Read More

Losing a Career When Youre Moving for Love

Those who watched HBO's Sex and the City (SATC, now... Read More

Why Are 95% of Job Applicants Not Called Back?

Have you been desperately looking for a job and keep... Read More

How to Pick the Best Career for You: Part 3

Marketing-with-Intent precisely drives you to your target and with greater... Read More

Relocation Issues...Who Will Pay?

In light of recent unemployment figures, and a continual downturn... Read More

How to Transform a Boring Note Into A Killer Cover Letter - Part II

In Part I, we covered how to grab the reader's... Read More

Your Job Search Is A Marketing Campaign (Part 2)

Here's a continuation of my article from a few months... Read More

Simple Interviewing That Works

Powerful questions to get below the surface1. Ask for specific... Read More

You?re Ready for a Career Change - Is Your Resume?

You finally did it. You made the decision to leave... Read More

Career Job Satisfaction - Get Off the Treadmill - Exit Your Rat Race!

Get Off the Treadmill - Exit Your Rat Race!We can... Read More

Chicken Soup for Job Seekers

Do you want to change your job but don't know... Read More

Travel Light to Work

As a frequent traveler, my goal for each trip is... Read More

How to Make Money as a Reflexologist

Being a reflexologist is one of the top five career... Read More

Professional Moms: How to Get Ready to Re-Enter the Workforce

Finally! Your youngest is in school and you are ready... Read More

When and How to Say I Just Cant Do It!

We naturally hesitate to tell our boss when we can't... Read More

Focus On White-Collar Crime: Accounting Fraud and Computer Crimes Creates Need; Qualified Investing

An epidemic of white-collar financial crime has resulted in the... Read More

Has ADHD Put Your Career in Danger? 3 Steps to Get You Back on Track

"Roger, you must get those contracts completed for this month's... Read More

Are You Taking Your Inner Brat to Work?

Is your inner brat taking over your job? Everyone has... Read More