Qualm

Today’s Daily Post Writing Prompt: Qualm

I will be perfectly honest – this is a word I’ve heard before, but didn’t know the actual meaning of.  So I had to break down and find the definition.

A qualm is an “uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, or fear, especially about one’s own conduct.” A qualm is also a misgiving.

Ok, so to have a qualm is to question how you feel about something.  You worry that the decision you make could reflect on you or how your procedure for doing something.  Further, a misgiving is a similar feeling of doubt, coupled with apprehension about an outcome or consequence.

This is quite heavy.  To have a qualm is to lack the confidence or strength to know that your decision or judgement is sound, or that the advice you give is the right.  It has an innermost conflict type of feel to it.

On a less heavy note, a qualm is also like studying the night before a test at school, but while you’re falling asleep, you’re worried about failing the test.  I know I’ve felt this way, but I’ve never used qualm to describe it – I usually would describe this type of worry as anxiousness.

How about some antonyms for qualm?

Calm

Certainty

Collectedness

Ease

Peace

Sureness

Confidence

Trust

Approval

Contentedness