When my daughter was four years old, I was going through a period of grieving. I usually shielded her from my big emotions, but one day when we were home together a wave hit me. I broke down crying in front of her. She asked what was wrong and I told her that I couldn’t share the reason with her, but that I just felt sad. Suddenly her face fell and she started crying too. A moment later she looked at me, realization dawning on her face, and said “I’m sad because you’re sad!” That moment has never left me. It was a genuine truth coming from a child: we are bound to one another through feelings.

I love feelings for that very reason - they connect us, both to each other and to the larger world. Whether it’s a baby’s joy making me joyful (I dare you to watch this and not laugh) or another driver’s anger really pissing me off, they show us that we are not separate from one another. And it’s not just humans. Sunsets can fill us with awe, thunder can make us feel small, and hot muggy days can make us irritated (I’m sure that’s not just me). Feelings also remind us that we aren’t particularly unique - we are a small part of something much bigger.

I believe feelings have lessons to teach us, if we are willing to listen to what they have to offer. I’ve been feeling a lot of tender sadness lately, and it seems to be asking me to slow down and pay attention to what I have in my life, right now. Anger can compel us to action against injustice, compassion can make us generous.

As a visual designer, I speak in the language feelings. When working with clients, I often ask the question: what do you want your audience to feel? What action might that feeling cause them to make?

Will you join me in a creative exercise? Imagine two organizations working in education. These groups have similar goals: supporting the well-being of children and shifting systemic injustice. Although they have a similar end goal, they have different ways of approaching the work.

The first organization begins with values of courage, justice and accountability. They want you to think of yourself as an activist and to feel charged and energetic. You should feel strongly that there is an injustice and that you want to jump on the train that is speeding toward change.

The second organization starts with love, generosity and truth. They ask you to think of yourself as a healer. Feeling compassion and tenderness toward these little people, you want to bring yourself generously to the cause.

Check out my scratchpad visuals for these fake organizations.

The visual for the first organization emphasizes action and brings to mind the energy and vibrance of childhood. It calls the viewer to connect to their own sense of power and joyful energy, and to use those qualities to take a stand.

The design for the second organization calls out a different emotion. This image invites the viewer feel the vulnerability and tenderness of childhood and invites them to bring their sense of compassionate protection to the situation.

Without words, both visuals feature a single individual being a typical child. However they ask us to call forth different parts of ourselves through feelings.

Depending on your cause, your audience and your theory of change, your organization will show up differently. As you think about your own organization’s visual communication – what kind of feelings do you want to inspire?