When You Don’t Know What You’re Feeling: Naming Emotions in Uncertain Seasons

June 3
30 mins

Episode Description

Show Notes

There are moments when it’s not that you don’t feel anything…
it’s that you feel too much at once.

And none of it has a clear name.

In this episode of At the Counter with the Baking Pastor, Laura sits down with Doug Earl Johnston to explore what it means to name your emotions—especially in seasons of uncertainty.

If you’ve ever said:
“I’m just tired.”
“I’m overwhelmed.”
“I don’t even know what this is…”

This conversation is for you.

Doug shares insights from his book Choosing Emotions, a comprehensive guide exploring over 250 emotional states. Together, this conversation gently unpacks how language shapes our inner life—and how naming what we feel can be the first step toward healing, clarity, and moving forward.

This isn’t about fixing yourself.
It’s about understanding yourself… one honest word at a time.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

  • Why “tired” and “overwhelmed” only tell part of the story 
  • How naming emotions brings clarity to your inner life 
  • What it really means to “choose” emotions 
  • A gentle first step for identifying what you’re feeling 
  • Why language matters more than we think  

Counter Pause Invitation

Take a moment today and ask yourself:
What am I actually feeling right now?

Not what you should feel.
Not what’s easiest to say.

Just… what’s true.

Resource Mentioned:

Choosing Emotions: Thinking with Your Head and Acting with Your Heart by Doug Earl Johnston 👉 https://amzn.to/430dPEM 

Connect with Doug

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/choosingemotions

Learn more and explore his work:
👉 https://choosingemotions.com/ 

Gentle Reminder

You don’t have to carry unnamed things forever.

Pull up a chair. There’s space for you here. 

If this episode met you where you are, I’d love to hear from you. What stayed with you?

Support the show


The counter is always open.

If you’d like a quiet place to sit with what this stirred, A Seat at the Counter: A Soul Pause Journal is available here: https://amzn.to/4c4RSIv

*****

Considering being a guest on At the Counter With the Baking Pastor
I invite you to listen to 1–2 recent episodes first to get a feel for the tone and heart of the conversations.

If it feels like a good fit, you’re welcome to reach out to me directly on PodMatch and share a bit about what you’d love to bring to the counter: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/atthecounterwiththebakingpastor  

I’m especially drawn to conversations that are honest, reflective, and rooted in real-life experience. 

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