A New Way To Name What You Feel, with Doug Earl Johnston

Send us Fan MailMost of us were taught that emotions show up uninvited, take the wheel, and leave us to manage the damage. We take that story apart with Doug Earl Johnston, known to friends as Doug, a former business executive and world champion sailor who spent ten years building a radically practical guide to the inner world: Choosing Emotions, a book that maps 272 emotional states using more than 4,000 quotes from people who have actually lived them.We start with the moment that changed everything for him: a quiet father daughter dinner where his teenage daughter asked, “What is depression?” He went looking for answers and found something more useful than jargon. A handful of honest lines from people who survived depression made the experience real, specific, and strangely hopeful. That discovery became the foundation of his approach: if you want emotional clarity, borrow the words of those who have been there and use them to name what you feel.From there we dig into emotional vocabulary and why it matters for mental health, relationships, and therapy. When we only have five or ten feeling words, we mislabel ourselves, talk past the people trying to help, and stay stuck in vague distress. When we can name the emotion precisely, the problem often gets smaller and the next step becomes clearer. We also talk about emotions as a navigation system, the idea of choosing states like curiosity and wonder, and why trauma recovery often begins with finding language for what happened.If you want more self awareness, better communication, and tools for emotional regulation, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who feels stuck, and leave a review with the emotion you wish you had better words for.Connect With the Guest:Website: https://choosingemotions.com Book: Choosing Emotions: Thinking with Your Head and Acting with Your Heart (available on Amazon, IngramSpark, and in hardback, paperback, and Kindle editions)Royal Oasis Psychotherapy InstituteFree for life, and no code needed. Download now, and start changing your life today!Towards Wellness CoachingOffer: 25% off | Code: POD2026. Available internationally in paperback and eBook formats.Emotional MusingsOffer: Mention this ad listing & receive $15 off your 1st session | Code: Healthy mind/Healthy lifeWake up ltdSelf Mental Healthcare/Stress Relief Practices - Buddha way, backed by science | Code: healthymindDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showWant to Be a Guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? 👉  DM me on PodMatch 💬 Want to come on the show? Be a Guest 🌐 Explore the full network  | 📨 Newsletter | 👥 LinkedIn CommunityThis isn't self-help. It's self-honesty.💼 Sponsor Our Show | 🎬 Check Our Services📌 Disclaimer This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. Guest views are personal and do not represent the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify or endorse guest statements. Nothing here is medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional. Engage critically. Third-party content referenced under fair use. Guests are responsible for their own statements. Concerns? Contact us | Full disclaimer.By listening, you accept this disclaimer in full.