How We Communicate Feelings
How Do We Communicate Our Feelings?
At True Balance Karate in Downers Grove, Illinois, we not only teach martial arts, but also important life skills through our True Character social-emotional learning program. I’m Master H, the owner and chief instructor, and this month our focus is on empathy, which we define as: I understand how others feel.
We began the month by defining empathy, then explored how our words and actions impact others. This week, we’re focusing on how we communicate our own feelings—because understanding ourselves is just as important as understanding others.
One simple tool is starting with “I feel” statements. Saying things like “I feel happy” or “I feel tired” helps us share what’s going on inside. But it’s also important to recognize that emotions can be layered. For example, anger often hides deeper feelings such as frustration, sadness, or worry. That’s why listening carefully and asking clarifying questions—like “Tell me more about why you’re angry”—can help us (and others) understand the real emotions underneath.
Our feelings aren’t only communicated through words—they show up in body language, too. A smile and good posture can signal happiness, while slumped shoulders and a frown might show sadness, fear, or even a need for space. Practicing empathy means making sure what we hear matches what we see and asking questions when things don’t line up.
Ultimately, we all share many of the same feelings: nobody likes to lose, to get in trouble, or to feel like they’ve failed. Communicating our emotions in clear, respectful ways helps us feel understood, and it reminds us we’re not alone.
As we continue our month on empathy, we’ll move into reflecting on how we’ve shown empathy in different situations, and what empathetic actions we can take to show kindness, respect, and care for others.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you on the mat!
True Balance Karate was founded in 2012 by Master Sue and Paul Helsdon.
We offer kids karate lessons for pre-school children ages 3-6 and elementary age kids ages 7 and up. These lessons are designed to develop the critical building blocks kids need — specialized for their age group — for school excellence and later success in life.
Our adult martial arts training is a complete adult fitness and conditioning program for adults who want to lose weight, get (and stay) in shape, or learn self-defense in a supportive environment.
Instructors can answer questions or be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 630-663-2000. You can also contact us here. True Balance Karate is at 406 Ogden Ave Downers Grove Illinois, 60515 (next to CVS) Check out our Facebook!