CONCERN DEFINITION:Sincere regard for (or having a personal interest in) someone or something PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS: Eyebrows drawing together Tilting the head and making strong eye contact Opening one’s mouth to speak, pausing to collect one's thoughts, then continuing Looking inward and blinking rapidly Leaning in while moving closer Growing still to better observe Making a micro-movement toward the object of concern, then stopping Asking pointed questions to better understand the importance of what’s unfolding Nodding and blinking as someone explains in more detail Raised eyebrows Pursed lips Entering the personal space of the person one is concerned about AskingAre you okay?orWhat does this mean for you? Maintaining an open body posture to include others Lowering or deepening one’s voice Pinching one’s chin while listening or thinking Touching the face more often Asking questions and requesting clarifications to understand the situation in full Covering the mouth or rubbing at the lips in thought Pulling out a phone to make a note or do further research Physically touching a person who is the focus—offering a light squeeze, rub, or tap Pointing the knees toward the speaker (while sitting) and leaning in Cutting people off or interrupting—not out of rudeness but from a need to know Prompting another with questions so they’ll reveal more detail Offering platitudes:We’ll get this figured out,orI’m sure everything will be fine. Giving well-meaning (and possibly unsolicited) advice Validating another’s concerns:That makes sense. I can see why you’re worried. Speaking in terms ofwe, notyou, so others feel supported Offering comfort in small ways (providing a seat or drink, going for a walk with them, etc.) Offering to step in, use one’s resources, investigate, or run an errand to help Volunteering one’s time to a project or initiative in hopes of resolving a problem Making promises to offer support, show that one cares, or prove commitment Using one’s connections to try and help another navigate this situation INTERNAL SENSATIONS: One’s pulse picking up Muscles tightening Body tension from strained attentiveness MENTAL RESPONSES: A hyper-focus on the person or thing one is interacting with Forgetting other priorities or responsibilities in the moment Paying more attention to cues (verbal and physical) to better understand how another feels Listening intently Scanning the mannerisms of others for clues as to the stakes involved or possible situational undercurrents Reading into things; analyzing A desire to help, encourage someone, or fix the situation One’s mind skipping ahead to possible consequences, fallout, and repercussions Feeling protective of another Looking backward to try and understand how things ended up in the current state Thinking about how this new information will personally impact oneself ACUTE OR LONG-TERM RESPONSES FOR THIS EMOTION: Following up (with phone calls, texts, visits, etc.) Obsessive thoughts about the situation or person Investigating independently to gain new insight or more information Crowd-sourcing (asking others to weigh in) in hopes an idea or solution will hit One’s mind going to the worst-case scenarios Being unable to let go One’s mind constantly turning back to the problem or situation Needing reassurance that one is viewing things the correct way SIGNS THAT THIS EMOTION IS BEING SUPPRESSED: Brushing the situation off as if it isn’t important Changing the topic Shrugging and nonchalance Making excuses to leave so one can think about how to help Talking louder and without hesitation MAY ESCALATE TO:Anxiety,Frustration,Impatience,Worry,Pity MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:Relief,Acceptance,Curiosity,Hopefulness,Gratitude ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS: Advise, assist, bolster, consider devote, embrace, empathize, examine express, focus, help, include involve, listen, question, reflect relate, repeat, research, rivet support, touch, volunteer WRITER’S TIP:To check if your emotional showing is on point, ask WHY: Why does the character care so much? Why does this moment impact them so deeply? The answers should be clear through your description and narrative.