Being able to monitor is interesting, and can help you understand yourself better but it is equally important that action follows. What actions can you take that change your mood? You almost certainly use a large number of such strategies already. Indeed, most of us spend most of our time making ourselves feel better about ourselves, our lives and the world.
MoodMapping describes five areas that you can work to improve your mood. All effective therapies concentrate around these five areas, together these five key areas form the KeyStar. It is difficult to find an exact word to describe these areas, and you may find a word that fits your ideas better than the one I have used. In no particular order they are:
1 – Strategies & Experience
2 – Health
3 – Autonomy
4 – Relationships
5 – Environment
The mnemonic is SHARE !
1 – Strategies & Experience
This is everything you have learnt, from your environment, family, peers, school, classes and life overall. It is essentially, your life education. It is from your experience and your interpretation of that experience that you develop your beliefs and values.
Life skills can be learnt, and if for example, money makes you anxious and you are frightened even to open bills, bank statements, official documents. This can be changed by learning about money, by doing some personal development in that area to reduce your fear, by getting qualifications to get a better job. Money management is something that you can learn, babies can’t do it! every rich person has to learn the basics of money management and you can too learn them. And if you are confident financially, then your mood will improve and life will be less stressful
2 – Health
From my personal perspective, health has more impact on mood than any other area. It is hard to feel positive and to plan for the future, when you feel ill, or are in severe pain. Almost everyone knows how to improve their health, what they should and shouldn’t do – however it is hard to do what we know we should – “the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak”! Also, just as everyone thinks they are good driver, most people think they eat a healthy diet. Anyone eating significant amounts of “food stuff” not around five thousand years ago, is NOT eating a healthy diet. Regardless of what is says on the packet.
Eating a healthy diet is not enough, we also need to exercise and to have enough time to relax and recover from the stresses of life. Sleep is important for health, as are quiet times and distractions. Even Gladiators need to sleep!
3 – Autonomy
It is difficult to find the exact word to describe this area – I am describing those activities that give you an enhanced sense of self, that support you personally as an individual. We will need to express ourselves as individuals, women are more than daughter, sister, mother, career woman. Equally a man is more than a provider for his family and more than his job, even though work seems to be the male vehicle of male identity. ‘Me Time’ an overused phrase, describes the practice of Autonomy to a certain extent.
Most of all, we are all creative individuals with far more potential than we can ever hope to bring into being. Our Autonomy is the power to use that creativity and individuality, to fulfil our purpose and make sure we leave the world a better place than it was before we made our mark.
Spirituality is part of Autonomy. I believe that ‘If you think life begins and ends on this planet, you are living in a very small world’. I do not believe that our species is necessarily the most intelligent creatures in the universe. For me, I strive to accept what we don’t know with good grace and not always look for certainty. Indeed Chaos Theory refutes the possibility of complete certainty. It doesn’t matter that we don’t know something, instead we make the best guess based on the facts and information we do have, and sometimes we are right.
4 – Relationships
Humans are social species. When humans come together, they immediately begin to form groups. In isolation, we are very vulnerable it is only when we band together that we can protect ourselves, whether it is from the wild extremes of the weather, wild animals or even other tribes.
People need healthy relationships, they protect us from physically and emotionally. Children who are abused can spend the rest of their lives repairing the damage, school children bullied by their peers may never develop the social confidence, their contemporaries take for granted. An abusive marriage can rapidly undo all the good of a happy childhood. Harassment at work makes it all but impossible for anyone to enjoy their job.
Healthy relationships and a good social network protect against dementia as well as many other chronic western diseases, particularly mental health problems such as depression.
5 – Environment
This includes both internal mental environment and external physical environment. When your mind is well organised, you can manage your day more efficiently, equally if your environment is well organised, you can work more effectively. There are many systems to help you get organised. My personal favourite is David Allen’s Get Things Done (GTD. There are software programmes as well the traditional paper files and folders. I use a combination of software To Do lists as well as paper and journals.
If you go beyond your immediate surroundings into the outside world, living close to nature and experiencing the natural world is wonderfully positive for your mental health. Multiple studies show the benefit of walking in parks and woods, and being outside in the fresh air positively impact your mood.
However much you love the city, we are still biological organisms and still need to experience our natural environment. Besides access to outdoor space, even house plants can improve the quality of the air, and can provide a little bit of nature for your desk!
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