Name What Im Feeling

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name: name-what-im-feeling
description: "Turn a vague bad mood or 'off' feeling into a precisely-named emotion and its likely cause — because naming it is what starts to defuse it. Use when asked I feel off and don't know why, help me figure out what I'm feeling, I'm in a weird mood, or why am I upset. Produces a short, gentle inquiry that distinguishes the actual emotion from the fog (anxious vs frustrated vs lonely vs overwhelmed), its most likely trigger, what the feeling might be pointing at, and one small thing that tends to help that specific state — never diagnosing, just helping you locate yourself."
---

# Name What I'm Feeling

"I feel off" is a fog, and fog is hard to act on. Precisely naming an emotion — anxious, resentful, lonely, overwhelmed, restless — is itself regulating: it's the difference between being swept along by a mood and being able to look at it. This gently helps you locate the actual feeling, its likely cause, and what it might be telling you — plus one small thing that tends to help that specific state. It's a locating tool, not a diagnosis.

## What This Skill Produces

- **The named emotion** — moving from "off/bad/weird" to the specific feeling (or the two that are tangled together)
- **The likely trigger** — what most plausibly set it off (an event, a need, a thought, a body state like hunger/tiredness)
- **What it's pointing at** — the unmet need or the message the feeling might carry
- **One small helpful thing** — a gentle, specific action that tends to ease *this* particular state
- **A boundary** — clear that this is a locating aid, not therapy, and a nudge toward real support if the feeling is heavy or persistent

## Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:
- **The felt sense** — how it feels, even vaguely ("heavy," "restless," "tight")
- **What's been happening** — recent events or context
- **Body basics** — hungry, tired, under-slept, overstimulated (these masquerade as emotions)
- **How long / how strong** — a passing mood or a persistent weight

## Framework: Locate, Don't Diagnose

1. **Distinguish the feeling from the fog.** Gently offer candidate emotions to find the precise one — often it's two tangled (anxious *and* resentful) — because naming is what starts to settle it.
2. **Check the body first.** Hunger, tiredness, and overstimulation impersonate emotions constantly — rule these in or out before deeper causes.
3. **Find the likely trigger.** Connect the feeling to a plausible cause — an event, an unmet need, a looming thing.
4. **Ask what it's pointing at.** Emotions carry information (anger → a boundary crossed; anxiety → a perceived threat; loneliness → a connection need) — surface the message gently.
5. **Offer one small thing.** A specific, gentle action suited to that state — not a fix-it plan. And hold the line: this locates, it doesn't treat.

## Output Format

### You feel: [the vague sense]

**Body check first:** [hungry / tired / overstimulated? — these fake emotions].
**What it might actually be:** [the precise emotion(s) — possibly two tangled].
**Likely trigger:** [the plausible cause].
**What it's pointing at:** [the unmet need or message].
**One small thing that tends to help this:** [gentle, specific action].

> This is a way to locate yourself, not a diagnosis. If the feeling is heavy, persistent, or scary, please reach out to someone you trust or a professional.

## Quality Checks
- [ ] Moves from vague fog to a precisely-named emotion
- [ ] Checks body basics (hunger/tiredness) that mimic emotions
- [ ] Identifies a likely trigger
- [ ] Surfaces what the feeling might be pointing at
- [ ] Offers one gentle, state-specific helpful action
- [ ] Holds a clear not-therapy boundary and points to support if heavy

## Anti-Patterns
- **Diagnosing** or labeling a condition.
- **Skipping the body check** — hunger/tiredness masquerade as feelings.
- **A big fix-it plan** instead of one small thing.
- **Dismissing the feeling** or rushing past it.
- **Playing therapist** on a heavy, persistent state.

## Example Trigger Phrases
- "I feel off today and I don't know why."
- "Help me figure out what I'm actually feeling."
- "I'm in a weird mood — can you help me name it?"
- "Why am I upset? I can't put my finger on it."
- "Something's bothering me but I can't tell what."