The Seven
Essential
Virtues

Empathy
Conscience
Self-Control
Respect
Kindness
Tolerance
Fairness


Educator Award for Self-Esteem


The Eight
Indispensable
Skills of Success

Positive Self-Esteem
Cultivating Strengths
Communicating
Problem Solving
Getting Along With Others
Goal Setting
Not Giving Up
Caring


Building Moral Intelligence

Emotional Vocabulary


by Michele Borba, Ed.D.
michele@moralintelligence.com

In order for kids to read the feelings of others, they must have an adequate emotional vocabulary. To enhance your child's emotional intelligence, teach him the feeling words in the list that follows. Consider using a different feeling word each day or a new word each week.

A
afraid
agitated
alarmed
angry
antsy
anxious
apprehensive ashamed
awful
awkward


B
bashful
bewildered
bitter
bored
brave


C
calm
caring
cautious
cheerful
comfortable
concerned
confident
confused
content
critical
cross
curious
cynical


D
depressed delighted
disappointed
discouraged disgusted
distressed
disturbed
down


E
eager
edgy
embarrassed
encouraged
enraged
enthused
exasperated
excited
exhausted


F
fatigued
fearful
fidgety
frightened
frustrated
funny
furious


G
gloomy
greedy
grouchy
guilty

H
happy
hassled
hateful
helpless
hesitant
hopeful
horrible
hostile
hurt
hysterical


I
impatient
indifferent
inferior
insecure
intense
irate
irked
irritated



J
jealous
jittery
joyous


L
lazy
leery
lonely
loved
loving


M
mad
mean
mischievous
miserable
moody


N
nervous
nice
numb


0
overwhelmed


P
panicky
patient
pessimistic
pleased
proud
puzzled


Q
queasy


R
rejected
reluctant
resentful
restless
ridiculous
riled
rushed

S
sad
safe
scared
secure
sensitive
shaky shocked
shy
silly
sleepy
sorry
stressed
surprised
suspicious
sympathetic


T
terrified
tired
troubled


U
uncomfortable
unsafe unsettled
upset


V
vicious
victorious


W
warm
weary
wonderful
worried


X
excited
exhausted

Y
yucky

Z
zany





Dr. Michele Borba is an educational consultant and author who has conducted parent and teacher seminars to over half a million participants. Her latest book is Building Moral Intelligence: The Seven Essential Virtues that Teach Kids to Do the Right Thing (Jossey Bass Publishers). Information on her publications and seminars can be accessed through her Web site, www.moralintelligence.com.

© 2001 by Michele Borba. Please contact for permission to reprint.


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Michele Borba, Ed.D.