Feature
Check in with the Feelings Wheel
Start with one of seven core feelings, then move outward until a more specific word fits. Add context, intensity, or a short note if they help. The check-in keeps the feeling and its circumstances together, so you can return to the moment later instead of relying on a vague memory.
How feelings-wheel check-in works
A Feelings Wheel check-in turns a broad impression into a named entry you can recognize later. The wheel narrows the choice without asking you to explain the cause, while optional context and a note preserve what was happening. The saved record describes the moment in specific language and can be read alongside later entries.
Choosing among nearby words is a practical form of emotional granularity: the distinction between "fearful" and "powerless" stays in the record as language that matched the moment. The wheel treats both labels as descriptions, with no correct answer hidden inside.
Find a closer word
The wheel starts with a broad feeling family. Opening that branch narrows the choice to words that sit nearby, so you can compare them without scanning a long alphabetical list. Stop at the broad word when it fits, or move outward when a more exact label makes the moment easier to recognize.
Keep the moment with it
A feeling without context can be hard to interpret later. The check-in keeps optional details beside the word: where you were, who was there, how strongly you felt it, and a note in your own language. Reading the entry back shows one moment as you recorded it, rather than asking you to reconstruct the day from memory.
Use it offline
The wheel and your saved check-ins remain available when your phone has no connection. Each entry keeps the feeling, tags, intensity, and optional note together in one record. You can name the feeling when it happens, including on a commute, during travel, or anywhere reception is unreliable.
How to use feelings-wheel check-in
A check-in follows one short path: choose the broad family, move to a closer word, add context if it matters, then save. Each step keeps the next decision small. You can finish with only the feeling, while intensity, tags, and a note remain available when they make the entry easier to read back.
The third step uses context and tags when a detail could explain the entry later. Skip that detail when it adds nothing; the saved feeling still stands on its own.
Pick the core feeling
Begin with the broadest word you can stand behind. The seven core feelings give you a small first choice, which is useful when all you know is that something feels off. You do not have to scan the whole wheel or explain why the feeling is there before moving on.
Choose the closer word
Open the branch and compare the words underneath it. Tap the label that best matches this moment, even if two seem plausible. The choice is a description, not a test, and you can stay with the broader word when none of the narrower ones adds useful precision.
Add the context
Record intensity and any tags that matter, such as a place, person, or part of the day. Add a line only when there is something worth keeping. A concrete detail like "before the call" will usually be more useful later than trying to write a polished journal entry on the spot.
Save the check-in
Confirm the entry and return to what you were doing. The saved word, context, and note now appear together in your history, while the stats view updates from that record. A short check-in can end here; there is no prompt to justify the feeling or turn it into a longer reflection.
What feelings-wheel check-in shows you
The numbers in this example come only from the reader's own check-ins. They are illustrative views of a personal history, not product metrics, public rankings, or scores to improve. Each tile reads back something already logged, such as recurring words, branch balance, check-in times, or consecutive days with an entry.
Streak
3 days
illustrative example from your own check-ins
Unique emotions
9
illustrative: named this month
Emotion balance
Fearful 4 · Happy 3 · Angry 2
illustrative: by core branch
Time of day
09:00 · 13:30 · 22:15
illustrative: when you check in most
Feelings Wheel vs. 1-5 mood slider
A feelings wheel and a 1-5 mood slider record different kinds of information. The wheel preserves the word chosen for a particular experience, with optional context beside it. A slider places the moment on a fixed scale. The useful choice depends on whether you want language for the feeling or a quick rating.
| What you record | Feelings Wheel | 1-5 mood slider |
|---|---|---|
| The description | A named feeling in your own vocabulary | A position between low and high |
| The choice | A broad word or a narrower word beneath it | One point on a fixed scale |
| The context | Tags, intensity, and an optional note stay with the word | Context depends on what the slider also asks |
| Reading it later | Entries read back as words and moments | Entries read back as ratings |
| Time to log | A short sequence of taps | Usually one selection |
Other features
Related reading
Questions about feelings-wheel check-in
How does a feelings wheel check-in work?
You first choose one of seven broad feeling families, then compare the related words inside that branch. Pick the closest label, add intensity, tags, or a note if they are useful, and save the entry. The result is a dated record of the word and its context, not a judgment about whether you chose correctly.
How long does a feelings wheel check-in take?
A simple check-in is designed to take about thirty seconds: choose the broad feeling, move to a closer word, add any useful context, and save. Writing a note can make it longer, but the note is optional. You can stop once the word and the details you want to keep are recorded.
What if none of the feelings wheel words fits?
Keep the broadest word that feels accurate, or leave the choice tentative and add a note in your own language. The wheel is a vocabulary aid, not a test with one hidden answer. If a better word comes to you later, the earlier uncertainty is still useful context about how the moment felt.
Can I track more than one feeling at the same time?
Log each feeling as its own check-in when you want both to appear in your history. Keeping separate records preserves the word, intensity, and context attached to each one. If one label matters more, record that one and mention the second in the optional note instead of forcing equal detail for both.
Can I add a feelings tracker entry for an earlier moment?
Yes. Choose the word that best describes the earlier moment and add the concrete details you still remember. A short note such as "after the meeting" can distinguish it from how you feel while logging. Treat the entry as a record of your recollection, especially when some of the original intensity has already passed.
Start with one check-in
Thirty seconds, once a day. In two weeks you have a map of what actually moves you — and it works offline.