Common Triggers
- →Reflecting on past mistakes
- →Receiving feedback about harmful actions
- →Experiencing consequences of wrongdoings
- →Feeling morally conflicted
- →Witnessing the impact of your actions on others
- →Engaging in self-reflection or therapy
Physical Sensations
- •Heaviness in the chest
- •Sinking feeling in the stomach
- •Tightness in the throat
- •Watery eyes
- •Fatigue or lethargy
- •Muscle tension
Plutchik's Emotion Wheel
remorse
Working with This Emotion
Recognize
Remorse often manifests as a heavy feeling in the chest, a sinking sensation in the stomach, and a sense of heaviness. Facial expressions may include downcast eyes, a furrowed brow, and a downturned mouth. Behavioral signs can include withdrawal, tears, or a desire to make amends. Words like 'anguished,' 'heartbroken,' and 'desolate' capture this emotion.
Understand
Common causes of remorse include reflecting on past actions that have hurt others, receiving feedback about the impact of your behavior, or experiencing consequences for your mistakes. It can also arise from a deep sense of moral wrongdoing or ethical breaches.
Label
To label remorse accurately, distinguish it from guilt and shame. Guilt is more focused on the specific action, while shame involves feeling flawed at the core. Remorse encompasses both the regret over the action and the self-directed resentment for having committed it.
Express
Healthy ways to express remorse include apologizing sincerely, taking responsibility for your actions, and making amends where possible. Engage in reflective practices like journaling or therapy to process your feelings and learn from the experience.
Regulate
Strategies to regulate remorse include practicing self-compassion, engaging in mindfulness exercises, and seeking support from trusted friends or professionals. Create a plan for how you will prevent similar mistakes in the future and focus on positive changes.
Co-occurring Emotions
Emotions that frequently appear alongside remorse, based on the NRC Emotion Lexicon.
Associated Words
Words associated with remorse from the NRC Emotion Lexicon.
Using Inner
Use Inner to track patterns of when you feel remorse, noting the specific actions or thoughts that trigger it. Pay attention to body signals like heaviness in your chest or a sinking feeling in your stomach. Practice self-compassion by acknowledging your humanity and the complexity of emotions. Use regulation strategies like journaling about what you learned from the experience and how you can make amends.
Try Inner for FreeSources & References
- —RULER Framework (Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence)
- —Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions
- —Geneva Emotion Wheel
- —Lisa Feldman Barrett - How Emotions Are Made
Related Content
Guilt
A feeling of having done wrong or failed in an obligation.
Regret
A feeling of sadness or disappointment over something that has happened.
Shame
A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
Turning Against the Self
Redirecting aggression or negative feelings toward oneself rather than toward the actual source.
Emotional Reasoning
Assuming that negative feelings reflect the way things really are: "I feel it, therefore it must be true."
The Shadow
The unconscious aspect of personality containing rejected or repressed qualities.