When I found this useful list of precise words for feelings by Gina Senarighi in her post, How to Express Yourself Clearly, I realised how imprecise we can be as writers. We say sad without considering the tone of the sadness. We talk about being afraid without describing the shade of the fear.
The best writing comes from choosing precise words that say exactly what you mean. When you want to describe your character’s emotional state, there is a huge difference between being afraid with a tinge of terror, and being afraid with an inch of insecurity.
Our important characters drive our stories. We spend a lot of time creating characters. We sometimes don’t spend enough time thinking about their emotional reactions beyond the obvious.
See the list here: Shades of Emotions
This is helpful advice. If you follow the link there’s a cool chart too.