How Are You Responding to Difficult Emotions?
You may already understand why something upset you, and still find yourself thinking about it, reacting to it, or carrying it with you longer than you want.
This short quiz is designed to help you uncover what may be keeping an emotion active for you and whether the way you currently deal with it is actually helping you move forward.
There are no right or wrong answers. Choose the response that feels most like you at this point in your life.
Keep track of your points as you go.
A = 0 points
B = 1 point
C = 2 points
1. After a difficult conversation or experience, where does your mind tend to go?
A. I think about it for a while, but eventually I can let it settle.
B. It comes back to my mind several times, especially when something reminds me of it.
C. I replay it again and again, thinking about what happened, what I should have said, or what I wish I had done differently.
2. When you understand why you are upset, does that usually help the emotion settle?
A. Yes. Understanding what happened usually helps me process it and gradually move forward.
B. Sometimes. I may understand why I feel this way, but the emotion can still stay with me.
C. I can understand exactly why I feel this way and still remain caught in the same emotion.
3. When anger or fear comes up, what is your first response?
A. I pause and notice what I am feeling.
B. I react before I have had time to fully understand what I am feeling.
C. I get caught in the emotion or in my thoughts about it, and it takes me longer to settle.
4. How do you usually respond when an uncomfortable emotion stays with you?
A. I can give it some space and stay with what I am feeling.
B. I keep busy, distract myself, or put it aside.
C. I try to make the feeling go away, or I keep going over the situation in my mind.
5. How easily do you notice the connection between your emotions and your body?
A. I usually notice where I feel an emotion in my body.
B. I notice physical tension or discomfort, but I may not immediately connect it to what I am feeling.
C. I rarely connect what I feel in my body with the emotions I am experiencing.
6. When you find yourself in a situation similar to one that affected you before, what tends to happen?
A. I can usually experience the new situation for what it is.
B. Familiar emotions or reactions sometimes come back.
C. I already expect to feel the same way I did before.
7. When something is bothering you, how clear are you about what you need?
A. Once I give myself some time, I can usually sense what feels right for me.
B. I often have an idea, but doubt or uncertainty can make it difficult to trust myself.
C. I can think about the situation from many angles and still feel stuck about what my next step should be.
Your Score
Add the points from your seven answers.
A = 0 points
B = 1 point
C = 2 points
Enter your email below to discover what your score may be showing you and one simple next step you can take.