“Dear Silky,
I have been wanting to write a letter to you. Seven years of yearning, and I still don't seem to know how to grieve about you. It could also be because I am trying to live in a grief-illiterate world where a lot of grievers are forever left lonely after losing their loved ones, and also because grieving has no end, although the way of expressing it could change. I am also writing this because a letter in itself symbolically holds emotional significance, regardless of the content it can hold. Maybe I have never had the right words to speak to you. How could I? How could I assume what a dog went through, especially when we humans don't pay a lot of attention to non-verbal cues? Sometimes I am rather quiet when my body is flooded with emotions. It is also subjective as to how people can hear me. My therapist knows how to make me speak, but, unfortunately, Indian society rather makes me feel numb. You see? I have always had expressions, but it depends on whether the other party wants to hear them. I love writing. A paper always hears me, and it always reminds me of you and how humans are very privileged to own pets. ”
The writer has used self-disclosure as a tool to connect with the audience by sharing a piece of letter she wrote for her late dog. Maybe the rest of the unshared letter piques your interest, or maybe you have thoughts regarding the way it speaks or its emphasis on language and emotions. The writer's reflection on her therapist's ability to "make her speak" underscores the importance of a safe space for emotional expression. Sometimes, bottling up emotions leads to a state of numbness, a disconnection from our inner world. However, in the presence of someone who actively "listens," the dam breaks, and a torrent of emotions finds its voice.
Not all words are just labels for feelings that already exist. They are the instruments we use to traverse the complex terrain of human emotions. This article explores the intriguing relationship between language and emotions and how they influence one another. We'll look at word choice, social factors, and nonverbal cues as we examine the vocabulary of joy, anger, and the wide range in between. Finally, we'll see how developing a deeper understanding of oneself and others can be facilitated by learning the language of emotions.
A 2009 study found that language enhances emotional perception by providing a granular vocabulary for emotions, enabling us to differentiate subtle feelings and navigate social interactions with greater empathy and understanding, thereby enhancing our ability to perceive and categorize emotions. (Bao et al, 2009). You would think that having this "emotional fluency" would make managing relationships much simpler. Well, You are right. But dialogue is a two-way street. It also has the power to affect us as well as to purely reflect on our emotions. Our speech can indeed affect our feelings! For this reason, we must try to use language with awareness. Selecting a positive dialect can support us in developing a more hopeful mindset, which is beneficial to our general well-being. On the flip side, there is an entirely distinct emotional language that does not require verbal communication. Think about your body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. Have you ever said "fine" or rolled your eyes when you were truly furious? Indeed, those nonverbal clues have the power to completely alter our intended meaning. Understanding these nonverbal cues also enables us to decipher the genuine emotional message being sent by someone. Why is it that only therapists use nonverbal communication, even though it's a powerful tool for understanding people? Few individuals use it. Why do you think we don't understand subtle non-verbal cues?
To be honest, I felt like my emotions were a disorganized mess in my head for a very long time. Maybe they still are, sometimes. I found it difficult to understand the subtle distinctions between, say, being annoyed and frustrated. It's remarkable how much of a difference a deeper emotional vocabulary can make. Now, knowing the precise shade of what I'm feeling helps if a wave of emotion hits me and I have the words to process it. That also applies to how I interact with other people. I'm kinder to myself and my relationships are a little bit better than they were. So, dear ones, the next time you find yourself in an explosion of emotions, stop and explore the language that surrounds you. You might surprise yourself with the clarity it brings.