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Happiness isn’t the only emotion.  At times, I’m angry, annoyed, contemptuous, disgusted,  bored, blissful, full of despair, disappointed, hurt, sad, courageous, hopeful, proud, trustful, anxious, embarrassed, afraid, helpless, powerless, worried, stressed, tense, calm, relaxed, relieved, serene, interested, polite, surprised, amused, delighted, excited, joyful, pleased, doubtful, envious, disgruntled, shameful, guilty, depressed, frustrated, regretful, , offended, jealous, bitter, dismal, heartbroken, melancholy, mournful, pessimistic, somber, sorrowful, sorry, wistful, bereaved, blue, cheerless, despairing, despondent, disconsolate, doleful, down, forlorn, glum, grief-stricken, heartsick, heavyhearted, hurting, in doldrums, in the dumps, languishing, low, lugubrious, morbid, morose, out of sorts, pensive, troubled, weeping, woebegone, enraged, furious, heated, impassioned, indignant, irate, irritable, irritated, outraged, sullen, uptight, affronted, antagonized, chafed, choleric, convulsed, cross, displeased, exacerbated, ferocious, fierce, galled, hateful, hot under the collar, huffy, ill-tempered, infuriated, ireful, maddened, nettled, piqued, raging, riled, sore, splenetic, storming, sulky, vexed, cheerful, delighted, ecstatic, elated, glad, joyous, jubilant, jocund, lively, overjoyed, pumped, peaceful, pleasant, pleased, upbeat, blessed, blissful, blithe, captivated, chipper, chirpy, convivial, gleeful, gratified, jolly, light, mirthful, peppy, perky, playful, sparkling, sunny, tickled, agitated, confused, disconcerted, dismayed, disordered, disquieted, dragged, grieved, ill, muddled, overturned, rattled, ruffled, sick, thrown, toppled, tumbled, unsettled, unzipped, all torn up, antsy, apprehensive, broken up, bummed out, chaotic, in disarray, jittery, shook up, overwrought, clean, collected, comforted, composed, decent, methodical, moral, ordered, organized, settled, systematic, rueful, sick, strained, suffering, injured, pitiable, racked, destroyed, despondent, gloomy, pathetic, tragic, crestfallen, dejected, desolate, disgraced, ailing, anguished, untroubled, unworried, well, undisturbed, absurd, delirious, demented, fantastic, foolish, frenzied, kooky, nutty, psychotic, aberrant, batty, crazed, daft, deranged, distracted, fancy free, foolhardy, frenetic, illogical, imprudent, invalid, irrational, loony, ludicrous, lunatic, mental, nonsensical, rabid, raving, senseless, unhinged, unsafe, unsound, wacky, wise, disenchanted, okay, sound, unenthusiastic, sane, sensible, rational, reasonable, fuming, livid, resentful, abandoned, berserk, very upset, wild, wrathful, genial, merry, felicitous, bright, beaming, animated, fatigued, tired, dull, blasé, inattentive, spiritless, refreshed,  reinvigorated, replenished, vivified, repaired, electric, motivated, stimulated, strong, amazed, startled, stunned, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, impressed, perplexed, shocked, bewildered, dazed, astonished, alarmed, rejoicing, disturbed, eager, hysterical, nervous, passionate, thrilled, aroused, awakened, charged, discomposed, inflamed, provoked, roused, stirred, wired, feverish, frantic, hyperactive, jumpy, on edge, apathetic, indifferent, unexcited, bored, laid-back, unenthused, uninspired, amazed, amazing, fantastic, ecstatic, splendiferous, ridiculous, serious, disappointed, disturbed, down, grave, miserable, unfriendly, unhappy, forsaken, hopeless, pained, unlucky, set up, confident, pissed, stupefied, stuck, moved, touched, amazing, appreciative, great, honored, illustrious,  satisfied, content, dignified, eminent, fiery, fine, glorious, grand, imposing, impressive, majestic, rewarding, splendid, stately, sublime, superb and fabulous.

With so many feelings that humans experience, it’s amazing that there’s only one that most people strive for.  Each emotion serves a unique purpose. So, what is America missing out on by pushing away all of these different feelings – especially the difficult ones? What benefits are we overlooking by putting happiness on a golden pedestal?

I’ve listed 350 feelings, and yet if we ask somebody how they are, we can expect them to say, “good” or “fine.”  So, I’m going to ask . . . and I want you to think a bit before you answer. Be honest. How are you feeling?

– Madeira Seaman