Most people experience emotions without understanding them. Something happens, a feeling rises, and they either act on it immediately or stuff it down. Neither approach serves them well. Understanding your emotions is a process that begins with being able to name them accurately. Research by neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett and psychologist Marc Brackett has shown that emotional granularity — the ability to distinguish between similar emotional states with precision — is strongly linked to better mental health, better decision-making, and better relationships. There is a significant difference between feeling angry and feeling disappointed, between feeling anxious and feeling excited, between feeling sad and feeling ashamed. Each emotion has a different cause, a different meaning, and a different appropriate response. The person who can only say 'I feel bad' is less equipped to respond wisely than the person who can say 'I feel ashamed because I let someone down and I am not sure how to face them.' Emotions are also signals, not facts. Fear signals perceived threat — but the threat may or may not be real. Anger signals a sense of injustice or violation — but your interpretation may or may not be accurate. Learning to ask 'what is this emotion telling me?' before acting on it is one of the most important habits an emotionally intelligent person develops.