Describing Feelings

Describing Feelings 1. Positive excitement and anticipation (Useful for: gatherings that start well, looking forward to an event, celebrations.) 1. Buzzing with excitement – My heart buzzed like a trapped bee in a jar as I counted down the minutes to the party. 2. On the edge of my seat – I sat on the edge of my seat, every second stretching like chewing gum as I waited for the guests to arrive. 3. Eyes shining with joy – My eyes shone like fairy lights when I saw my cousins flooding through the front door. 4. Grinning from ear to ear – A silly grin stretched from ear to ear, as wide as a crescent moon. 5. Butterflies in my stomach – Butterflies rioted in my stomach, their wings beating faster with every ring of the doorbell. 6. Could hardly sit still – I bounced in my chair like popcorn in a pan, unable to sit still for even a moment. 7. Heart leaping with joy – My heart leapt like a dolphin above the waves when I spotted the birthday cake. 8. Thrilled to bits – I was thrilled to bits, as if a fireworks display had gone off inside my chest. 2. Pride, achievement and feeling “on top of the world” (Useful for: proudest moment, doing well after a difficult journey or challenge.) 1. Swelling with pride – Pride swelled in my chest like a rising tide, lifting me higher with every word of praise. 2. Walking on air – I floated out of the hall as if I were walking on air, my feet barely touching the ground. 3. Chest puffed out – My chest puffed out like a proud peacock showing off its brightest feathers. 4. Glowing with satisfaction – I glowed with satisfaction, as warm and bright as the afternoon sun. 5. Heart singing – My heart sang a victorious song, louder than the applause echoing around me. 6. A smile I couldn’t wipe off – A smile was glued to my face, as if someone had painted it there. 7. Feeling ten feet tall – In that moment, I felt ten feet tall, towering above my fears like a giant. 8. On top of the world – I stood on top of the world, my worries nothing more than tiny ants far below.

3. Fear, anxiety and self-doubt (Useful for: difficult journeys, important decisions, doing something to impress someone.) 1. Hands trembling – My hands trembled like leaves in a storm as I reached for the door handle. 2. Knees turning to jelly – My knees turned to jelly, wobbling as though they might melt onto the floor. 3. Voice barely a whisper – My voice shrank to a whisper, as thin and fragile as a thread. 4. Heart pounding – My heart pounded against my ribs like a desperate drummer in a marching band. 5. Stomach in knots – My stomach twisted itself into tight knots, like earphones stuffed carelessly into a pocket. 6. Cold sweat breaking out – Cold sweat broke out across my back, each drop sliding down like icy raindrops. 7. Mind racing with ‘what ifs’ – My mind raced with ‘what ifs’, a tornado of worries swirling inside my head. 8. Afraid to meet anyone’s eyes – I kept my gaze glued to the floor, dodging everyone’s eyes like a guilty thief. 4. Regret, guilt and disappointment (Useful for: doing something to impress someone and regretting it, causing disappointment, events that did not go as planned.) 1. Heart sinking – My heart sank like a stone dropped into deep water when I saw the look on her face. 2. Face burning with shame – My face burned as hot as chilli, and I wished I could scrub away my mistake. 3. Avoiding someone’s gaze – I dodged his eyes as though they were spotlights exposing my guilt. 4. Stomach heavy with regret – Regret sat in my stomach like a lump of cold, hard metal. 5. A smile fading – Her smile faded like the colours of an old photograph, leaving only disappointment behind. 6. Choking on an apology – The apology stuck in my throat, thick and dry like unchewed bread. 7. Feeling like a balloon deflating – I felt myself deflate like a balloon with a tiny, hidden leak. 8. Wishing I could turn back time – I wished I could rewind the day like a video and erase every foolish decision.

5. Joy, laughter and warmth (Useful for: “I had never seen my friend laugh so much!”, family occasions that go well.) 1. Bursting into laughter – We burst into laughter that rolled across the room like a wave. 2. Laughing till my sides hurt – I laughed until my sides ached, as if invisible hands were tickling my ribs. 3. Eyes crinkling with mirth – His eyes crinkled with mirth, sparkling like stars in the night sky. 4. Cackling uncontrollably – We cackled uncontrollably, our voices tumbling over one another like marbles. 5. Sharing a warm hug – When we finally calmed down, we fell into a hug that wrapped around me like a soft blanket. 6. Room filled with giggles – The room filled with giggles that bounced off the walls like rubber balls. 7. Smiling through tears of laughter – Tears of laughter painted shiny tracks down my cheeks like tiny rivers. 8. Heart warmed by friendship – My heart warmed like a mug of hot chocolate on a rainy day. 6. Conflict, frustration and anger (Useful for: gatherings gone wrong, arguments, disappointment at others.) 1. Slamming a door – I slammed the door shut, the sound cracking through the house like thunder. 2. Clenching my fists – My fists clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms like tiny claws. 3. Speaking through gritted teeth – I spoke through gritted teeth, each word as sharp as broken glass. 4. Face darkening with anger – His face darkened like storm clouds gathering over the sea. 5. Rolling my eyes – I rolled my eyes so hard they felt like they might escape from my head. 6. Voice rising like a storm – My voice rose like a sudden storm, loud and unstoppable. 7. Turning my back on someone – I turned my back on her, my shoulders a closed door she could not open. 8. Storming off – I stormed off, my footsteps hammering the floor like angry drumbeats.

7. Courage, determination and inner strength (Useful for: “I realised I was much stronger than I had thought”, difficult but interesting journeys, making the right decision.) 1. Taking a deep steadying breath – I took a deep breath that filled my lungs like a sail catching wind. 2. Standing my ground – I planted my feet firmly, like a tree refusing to bend in the wind. 3. Pushing on despite fear – I pushed forward, each step a small victory over the trembling in my legs. 4. Squaring my shoulders – I squared my shoulders, stacking my courage like bricks in a wall. 5. Voice growing stronger – With every word, my voice grew stronger, like a radio being slowly turned up. 6. Refusing to give up – I refused to give up, clinging to my goal like a climber gripping a ledge. 7. Facing my mistake head-on – I faced my mistake head-on, like a swimmer diving into cold water. 8. Choosing the harder right thing – I chose the harder path, the one paved with sharp stones but lit by a clear conscience. 8. Relief, comfort and closure (Useful for: after a difficult decision, after apologising, after a journey ends well.) 1. Breathing a sigh of relief – I let out a long sigh of relief that floated away like a balloon into the sky. 2. Shoulders relaxing – My shoulders dropped, the heavy invisible backpack of worry finally sliding off. 3. A weight lifted off my chest – It felt as if someone had lifted a heavy boulder from my chest. 4. Smiling in quiet contentment – I smiled to myself, a small, quiet smile that glowed like a candle in the dark. 5. Feeling safe again – Wrapped in my mother’s arms, I felt as safe as a child sheltering under an umbrella in the rain. 6. Tension melting away – The tension melted from my body like ice cream in the afternoon sun. 7. Sharing a peaceful silence – We sat in peaceful silence, as comfortable as old books on a familiar shelf. 8. Knowing it would be okay – For the first time that day, I knew everything would be okay, like the sun peeking out after a storm.