Meta Emotion Mismatch

Meta Emotion Mismatch

Help understand and process personal histories and philosophy with basic emotions.

Instructions

Ask each other these questions.

Anger

• What is the history of your experience with the emotion of anger?
• Could you tell if your parents were angry?
• What was this experience like for you?
• Could your parents tell if you were angry?
• How did they react to your anger?
• What was it like in your family growing up?

Sadness

•  What is the history of your experience with the emotion of sadness?
• Could you tell if your parents were sad?
• What was this experience like for you?
• Could your parents tell if you were sad?
• How did they react to your sadness?
• What was it like in your family growing up?

Fear

• What is the history of your experience with the emotion of fear?
• How did your family respond when you felt insecure?
• Could you tell if your parents were afraid?
• What was this experience like for you?
• Could your parents tell if you were afraid or worried?
• How did they react to your fears?
• How did you deal with one another’s worries and fears in this partnership?
• What was it like in your family growing up? 

Love

• What is the history of your experience with the emotion of love?
• Could you tell if your parents were in love?
• What was this experience like for you?
• Could your parents tell if you were in love?
• How did they react to you being in love?
• What was it like in your family growing up? 

Pride

• What is the history of your experience with the emotion of pride?
• How did your parents show that they were proud of you?
• Was your family growing up very affectionate?
• What was this experience like for you?
• Could your parents tell if you needed affection?
• How did they react to your need for affection and love?
• How do you show each other that you love one another in this relationship?
• What was it like in your family growing up?

Your Philosophy About Expressing Negative Emotion

•  What is your philosophy about expressing negative emotions?
• What was it like in your family growing up?
• Are there differences between you and your partner(s) in the expression and experience of emotion? 
• What role do these differences play in your relationship?

Have any thoughts, questions, suggestions, or comments on this article? Wondering how to this can be applied, modified, or adapted to your polyamorous, swinging, kink/ BDSM, or otherwise interesting relationship? Feel free to reach out to us here.