The MoodMap puts numbers on the axes. This allows for some precision in measurement. Although to begin with it can seem unnatural, with practice people who have worked with mood mapping, talk about being a -2 +3 when they’re feeling stressed. When I worked with a start-up company in Milton Keynes, the executives would report themselves as feeling top left, although they would never have admitted that they were stressed! It seemed much easier to conduct a dialogue about how they were feeling in terms of map coordinates, rather than using words for moods and feelings.
On this map, the coordinates go from – 5 to + 5 on both axes. This, though, is a matter of personal preference. You might prefer to have the vertical energy access with zero at the bottom rising up to 10 at the top. Equally, the well-being can run from zero on the left, to 10 on the right
Step 1 – work out how much energy you have on your scale and put a mark on the vertical axis. Step 2 – work out how good or bad you feel and put a mark on the horizontal axis. Then join the two points to give the MoodPoint which is shown on the next slide.
The left-hand side of the graph represents negative well being, either stress and anxiety or exhaustion and depression, depending on your energy level. The left-hand side of the graph describes the time when you feel you are surviving rather than thriving. On this side of the graph you feel you are living hand to mouth, from day-to-day, even from hour to hour.
In the short-term, stress can be exciting invigorating and can make you perform to a level that you never thought would be possible. Troops in Afghanistan on patrol, will sometimes say that they have never felt more alive than when they were in the greatest danger. Certainly this can concentrate the mind! However continuously living on the edge, eventually becomes stressful for even the toughest individuals, particularly when it is not under your control and you can see no way out. In small doses, this can be exciting but in larger doses it becomes more difficult.
By way of contrast, on the right hand side of the graph, where you feel more positive, you can in Action mode, making things happen. All if your energy is lower you can be Calm, where you can relax, reflect on where you can plan, work on your purpose and decide on your direction for the coming day, weeks, months and years.
For further information and to learn more about MoodMapping, you can buy the book MoodMapping by Dr Liz Miller, on Amazon
and watch the YouTube video