Emotion: Reassurance

When you want to write the emotion reassurance, it's important to "show" the emotion your character is experiencing through their physical reactions and dialogue, rather than "tell" it. In this article we provide you with inspiration so you can avoid emotional tells and immerse your readers in your story.

The emotion of reassurance is the feeling of comfort, support, and confidence that one experiences when they are provided with encouragement or positive feedback during a time of uncertainty or doubt. It involves the act of restoring confidence or dispelling doubts and fears in oneself or in others. Reassurance can come in many forms, such as kind words, a reassuring touch, or a gesture of support. It is a crucial emotion that helps individuals to feel secure and motivated, and it is an essential quality for creating well-rounded and relatable characters in creative writing.

Different Types of Reassurance

Here are some different types of reassurance:

• Comforting someone who is anxious or upset
• Encouraging someone who is doubting their abilities
• Offering support to someone who is going through a difficult time
• Calming someone who is nervous or scared
• Assuring someone that everything will be okay
• Providing a sense of safety or security to someone who is feeling vulnerable
• Helping someone to feel more confident or self-assured
• Reassuring someone that they are not alone in their struggles

Situations Associated with Reassurance

Here are some situations where a character might experience the emotion of reassurance:

• A character may experience the need for reassurance when facing a difficult decision.
• They may feel uncertain or doubtful about their abilities or decisions.
• A character may experience reassurance when they are going through a tough time and need comfort and support.
• They may feel anxious or worried about the future and need someone to help them feel more secure.
• A character may experience reassurance when they have made a mistake and need someone to help them see that it's okay to make mistakes and that they can learn from them.
• They may feel overwhelmed by a situation and need someone to help them feel like they can handle it.

Physical Reactions to Reassurance

Here are some physical reactions a character experiencing reassurance might have:

• Soft, gentle tone of voice
• Warm smile
• Eye contact
• Relaxing facial expressions
• Leaning in slightly
• Nodding in agreement
• Patting or touching the person's arm or shoulder
• Encouraging words or phrases, such as "It's going to be okay" or "You've got this"
• Offering practical solutions or suggestions
• Maintaining a calm and patient demeanor
• Being present in the moment and actively listening to the person's concerns
• Providing emotional support and empathy
• Demonstrating understanding and acceptance of the person's feelings and experiences.

Remember, reassurance is about making the other person feel safe, heard, and supported. So, it's important to approach them with kindness, respect, and genuine care.

Thoughts Associated with Reassurance

Here are some thoughts a character experiencing reassurance might have:

• I can do this, I've done it before.
• It's going to be okay, I just need to keep going.
• I trust myself and my abilities.
• I know I have support and people who believe in me.
• I just need to take a deep breath and tackle this one step at a time.
• I am capable of handling this situation.
• I've faced challenges before and come out stronger on the other side.
• I'll find a solution, I always do.
• I have the skills and knowledge to navigate this successfully.

Atmosphere of Reassurance

Here are some ways that you might reflect the emotion of reassurance in the atmosphere of your scene:

• Choose a setting that is familiar, safe, and calming, such as a cozy bedroom, a peaceful park, or a favorite coffee shop.
• Create an atmosphere that is warm, inviting, and nurturing, with soft lighting, comfortable furniture, and soothing colors.
• Use sensory details to enhance the feeling of comfort and security, such as the smell of freshly baked cookies, the sound of a crackling fireplace, or the feel of a soft blanket.
• Include supportive and encouraging characters, such as a best friend, a loving parent, or a wise mentor, who can offer words of comfort and reassurance.
• Use dialogue that is empathetic, validating, and uplifting, with phrases like "I believe in you," "You're not alone," or "Everything is going to be okay."

Verbs Associated with Reassurance

Here are some verbs commonly associated with the emotion of reassurance:

• Comfort
• Encourage
• Soothe
• Console
• Support
• Affirm
• Reassure
• Validate
• Empathize
• Nourish
• Strengthen
• Inspire
• Uplift
• Nurture

Emotions Before Reassurance

Here are some emotions that may come before a character experiences reassurance:

• Anxiety
• Fear
• Insecurity
• Uncertainty
• Doubt
• Worry
• Apprehension
• Nervousness
• Panic
• Desperation

Emotions After Reassurance

Here are some emotions that may come after a character experiences reassurance:

• Relief
• Gratitude
• Contentment
• Trust
• Comfort
• Peacefulness
• Calmness
• Confidence
• Optimism

Telling Reassurance Examples to Avoid

Here are some examples of telling the emotion reassurance in a sentence. You should avoid things like this:

• She felt reassured by his confident tone and reassuring smile.
• The doctor's words were reassuring, and she finally felt at ease.
• He tried to reassure himself that everything would work out, but his doubts lingered.
• The teacher's gentle nod of approval reassured the nervous student.
• The sight of her mother's familiar face reassured her that she was safe.
• His friend's reassuring pat on the back gave him the courage to keep going.
• She reassured herself that she had done everything she could to prepare for the interview.
• The coach's reassuring words before the game helped calm the team's nerves.
• His therapist's reassuring presence made him feel like he could open up.

Practical Examples of Showing Reassurance

Here are some examples of showing reassurance in a sentence:

• She sighed in relief as he took her hand, a warm reassurance that everything was going to be okay.
• The weight of his presence next to her felt like a reassuring anchor, grounding her in the present moment.
• The familiar smell of her grandmother's home brought a sense of reassurance that she had finally found a place to belong.
• The gentle touch of his fingers on her back was a reassuring reminder that he was there to support her through anything.

Exercises for Showing Reassurance

Here are some writing exercises to practice showing reassurance:

• Write a scene where a character comforts someone who is anxious or scared
• Create a dialogue where a character gives advice or encouragement to another character who is struggling
• Write a monologue from the perspective of a character who is trying to reassure themselves in a difficult situation
• Describe a physical gesture or action that a character takes to show reassurance, such as a hug or a pat on the back
• Write a scene where a character uses humor to put another character at ease and reassure them
• Create a character who is naturally reassuring and write a scene where they use this quality to help someone in need
• Write a scene where a character must reassure a group of people in a crisis situation

Want more help with showing emotion instead of telling? You find more help in our full thesaurus of emotions.