Worries about income, freedom, and financial security can feel like a rollercoaster, especially in today’s world of AI-driven job shifts and economic uncertainty. But what if how you feel about money right now is not a problem, it’s simply a useful indicator, one that you can calibrate, pointing you toward the ease and confidence that actually changes your results?
Well, that’s what the Emotional Scale offers—a heartfelt, non-judgmental, fast-track to understanding your emotions and radically improving how you approach money worries and challenges.
Maybe you’ve lost your job, seem to constantly struggle to make ends meet, or feel like you’re just not as financially free or stable as you’d like. Imagine sitting down with a trusted advisor, as they show you clearly how your relationship with money is easier to change than you think. In fact, if you catch downward spiralling emotions quickly, it can happen in a matter of minutes, not months!
Listen: Calibrating Money Emotions with the Emotional Scale
How Do I Calibrate and Improve My Feelings Around Money?
Use your emotions as your guide. There’s no “good” or “bad” here—just signals to help you understand where you are and how to move forward. When it comes to money (or any topic that matters to you), the Emotional Scale reveals why you feel stuck, stressed, stable, or unstoppable, and enable you to guide yourself toward alignment. Without excessive therapy, without overthinking, and without analysing or getting bogged down into what went wrong.
The Emotional Scale orders emotions in a logical, structured flow so you can plot where you start, and know exactly what emotion to reach for next, to feel a slight sense of relief and a more lasting uplifting shift.
The Emotional Calibration Process asks you to choose the emotion closest to where you are on the scale right now, and gently reach one step forward, stabilizing at each state before moving forward again.
For example, feeling Afraid/Desperate/Depressed (18) might show up as thoughts like, “I’m devastated I lost my job and I’m afraid to think about the future.” This contractive state feels heavy, but it’s a valid signal that you’re craving security. On the other hand, Pure Joy/Radiant Appreciation (1) feels light, like, “Life is abundant, and money flows effortlessly.” Every state in between offers a step on your journey, and, you can move through them logically, and easily, at your own pace. In fact, the slower you go, finding stability at each spot on the scale, the more sustainable the improvement becomes.
The Emotional Scale for Alignment™ Categorizes Emotions Into Zones
We categorize emotions by energetic qualities – expansive, neutral, and contractive, rather than good or bad, better or worse. While some might be more preferred than others, this non-judgmental approach allows emotions to flow smoothly, rather than get stuck, be supressed, or glossed over. These zones also help you identify the best emotional states to be in before making major decisions. The case study below points out why this is helpful, as knee-jerk reactions tend to produce poorer results than actions taken when you’re feeling more aligned.
Expansive States (High Vibe — 1 to 6)
These are the emotions that make you feel expansive—like you’re radiant, magnetic, charismatic, and full of life. They bring confidence, connection, and a strong sense of presence.
Neutral/Passive States (Mid Vibe — 7 to 12)
Neutral/Passive States act as grounding points on the scale—a place to rest, recalibrate, and stabilize before moving forward. These emotions aren’t flashy or intense, but they play a crucial role in emotional regulation.
Contractive States (Low Vibe — 13 to 18)
Contractive States are the emotions that make you feel small, isolated, alone, or disconnected. In these states, life may seem overwhelming, unfair, or meaningless.
Real-Life Case Study: Sarah’s Journey Using the Emotional Scale
Meet *Sarah (name changed for privacy reasons), who lost her job to AI automation and found herself navigating a whirlwind of emotions about her financial future. The job loss was affecting every area of her life; relationships were strained, she kept cycling through a myriad of feelings she’d not really experienced before, with days of depression, fits of explosive anger, and crying out of the blue on one end of the spectrum, to hope and even occasional enthusiasm on the other. She didn’t remember feeling such an intense range of emotions and was at a complete loss how to stop them jumping around so much, and desperately needed to find stability again
Using the Emotional Scale for Alignment™ (Quick Start Version with 18 emotional states), she slowly moved through the list of emotions, each a valid step toward that confidence and certainty she was craving to feel again. She learned how essential it was to make peace with how she was really feeling inside, own it, accept it, and work with her emotions bit by bit, rather than trying to jump from a negative to positive mindset (which usually creates so much resistance or dissonance, that you slip back down again anyway). Below, we trace Sarah’s journey, showing how she shifted her thoughts incrementally, not only changing her relationship with money, but finding deep relief and a solid stability that impacted her relationships as well. All emotions are valid and each one has a deeper purpose—let’s see how Sarah calibrated hers.
18. Afraid / Desperate / Depressed
Sarah’s Thoughts: “I’ve lost my job because of AI, and I’m terrified I’ll never be secure again. We might have to sell the house. How on earth will I pay the bills? The world is changing too fast and I fear there’s no place for me in this new economy. I’m depleted and depressed, and can’t see a way out.”
Sarah’s at her lowest, feeling powerless to change her situation. The fear of financial ruin is heavy, but it’s a signal she’s craving something better. This is where her journey begins, and even this heaviest of heavy emotions is a useful signal, and the perfect place to start calibrating. Every small step feels like a weight is lifted. Instead of losing herself in paralysing fear, she reaches for the life-giving breath of anger. Stick with us here…
17. Angry / Resentful / Reactive
Sarah’s Thoughts: “I’m furious that AI is taking over jobs. Why should I have to suffer! It’s all rigged against people like me! I’ve done so much to help everyone else. Where are they now when I need them the most?”
Here, anger and resentment actually gives Sarah a little energy. She’s focused on the injustice of her layoff, and finds herself feeling angry about almost everything, but at least she’s not depressed anymore. (Just like anger is an essential step in the grief process, so too is it essential to move anyone out of a deep slump, and is the most misunderstood emotion on the spectrum). This shift from despair feels fiery and while not ideal, it’s a step forward on the scale and she feels noticeably lighter.
16. Blaming / Critical / Judgmental
Sarah’s Thoughts: “I should’ve seen this coming and learned new skills sooner. Everyone else seems to be thriving, but I keep messing up. The company did the wrong thing by firing me, and the government could have stepped in too. It’s just not right!”
Sarah turns her anger to blame; blaming herself for not preparing for industry changes, blaming external forces like her employer, the government, and technological advances. While self-criticism and blame stings, it’s less chaotic than anger and shows she’s starting to reflect on her role in her journey. Asking ‘why something might have happened’ is a small but useful part of emotional progression.
15. Frustrated / Annoyed / Irritated
Sarah’s Thoughts: “Every time I apply for a new job and want to get ahead, I get knocked back. It’s so irritating that nothing seems to work out, no matter how hard I try!”
Sarah faces rejection after rejection but rather than continuing to place blame, she reaches for frustration instead. She knows she wants progress but still feels stuck. This agitation, though uncomfortable, is necessary for shaking off heavier emotions and pushes her to seek solutions, a useful sign that shows she’s moving forward yet again.
14. Disappointed / Unhappy
Sarah’s Thoughts: “I’m working so hard to get another job, but I’m still unemployed. It’s disheartening to be in this spot when I expected to be financially secure by now.”
Sarah reflects on unmet expectations and feels let down by results but instead of allowing it to annoy her, she reaches for disappointment. The sadness and disappointment she feels now is quieter than frustration as the agitation settles, offering a moment to pause and focus on herself rather than external obstacles.
13. Doubtful / Uncertain / Hesitant
Sarah’s Thoughts: “Should I take an online course to learn some new skills? What if I spend all this time and still can’t find a job? Everything feels so shaky and I’m just not sure what to do.”
Sarah considers her next step on the scale and knows that being unhappy isn’t where she wants to end up, so she reaches for doubt. She’s hesitant, unsure if her efforts will pay off. But these forward-thinking thoughts feel more proactive that staying in sadness, and even with uncertainty, it marks progress toward action that will likely yield better results, rather than rushing into something when she’s not fully aligned.
12. Detached / Bored / Indifferent
Sarah’s Thoughts: “Maybe money isn’t everything. I’ve had enough of stressing about it—I need to take a break from all this job-hunting pressure, even if I feel a bit bored not doing anything about it right now.”
Sarah steps back, emotionally disconnecting from her financial worries. This feels lighter than doubt, giving her a moment to breathe and reset. While not ideal, detachment feels a whole lot better than fear, anger, self-criticism, frustration, unhappiness, and doubt, and is a vital step towards emotional regulation.
11. Compassion / Self-Respecting
Sarah’s Thoughts: “I deserve more than scraping by. Even though it’s tough, I’m ready to find ways to improve my financial future without compromising my values.”
Compassion for herself and what she’s going through, emerges easily here. Sarah recognizes her value and commits to improving her situation without compromising her principles. This self-respect helps to fuel her next step forward as she begins to consider her options and gently reaches for the next emotional state.
10. Forgiving / Understanding
Sarah’s Thoughts: “That job layoff wasn’t about me—it’s just how businesses adapt. It still hurts a bit, but I’d rather focus on what I can control now.”
Sarah releases resentment toward her former employer, understanding that layoffs are part of a bigger picture. This forgiveness frees her to reframe the challenges as opportunities for growth and a step towards adaptability. She’s feeling noticeably lighter and also beginning to understand why her emotions were fluctuating to such a degree.
9. Adaptable / Resilient / Flexible
Sarah’s Thoughts: “My friend just reminded me that change is inevitable. It made me think about how I’ve handled tough times before, and I’ll do it again. If one job doesn’t work out, I’ll pivot and find another way forward.”
Sarah remembers her own resilience, ready to adapt to change. She makes a point to see closed doors as invitations to explore new paths, and feels stronger with each step.
8. Open-Minded / Encouraged
Sarah’s Thoughts: “There are so many free resources online to learn new skills. Maybe AI can even help me find a new career path that I’d enjoy, maybe a lot more than the last one too!”
Sarah starts exploring options like online courses and feels encouraged by the possibilities, seeing AI as a potential ally rather than a threat. Open-mindedness sparks a glimmer of hope again.
7. Hopeful / Optimistic / Grateful
Sarah’s Thoughts: “Things aren’t perfect, but I’m starting to feel steadier and more optimistic that there are ways to express my creative side again. There’s a course I wanted to do years ago and I’m hopeful I can build a future that’s more interesting and satisfying.”
This is the perfect place for gratitude to replace heavier emotions. Some people might tell you to be grateful no matter where you are on the Emotional Scale, but Sarah now understands that owning her authentic feelings are better than expressing fake or forced ones, and feels quietly optimistic that these small wins will most likely produce better results.
6. Playful / Curious / Light-hearted
Sarah’s Thoughts: “What if I tried something totally new, like freelancing, coding, or designing? It sounds kind of fun to experiment and see what sticks! I’ll sign up for the first one today.”
Sarah playfully approaches her career with curiosity. She explores side hustles with a light-hearted attitude, enjoying the process of discovering things she had never considered before, and signed up for a course that aligns with her interests. This is a solid emotional state to begin taking action, and anticipating satisfying results.
5. Positively Anticipating / Eager
Sarah’s Thoughts: “I’m keen to see where this new design course takes me, and how far I can go once I master these skills. Each lesson feels like a step closer to doing work, I’ll actually love!”
Momentum begins to build for Sarah as she reaches for the life-giving fuel that eagerness provides. She’s purpose-driven, feels good about developing new skills, with anticipation of a positive outcome no matter what happens, and has a much clearer sense of direction.
4. Happy / Confident / Knowing
Sarah’s Thoughts: “I trust myself to figure this out. Whether it’s freelancing, a new business, or a completely different job, I know I’ve got what it takes to thrive. And sometimes, I catch myself feeling happy for no reason at all.”
Sarah feels more successful as she reaches for a sense of confidence—and imagines completing her first freelance project. This reinforces belief in herself. She feels capable, ready for what’s next. But more importantly, taking incremental steps forward on the emotional scale means she no longer has to focus as much toward feeling better; unconditional happiness found her.
3. Enthusiastic / Excited / Thrilled
Sarah’s Thoughts: “This is such an exciting time to reinvent myself! With AI tools, I’m thrilled to create unique designs quickly, and build apps, and a website that I’m really proud of. Wow. Things are way better than I ever thought.”
As Sarah reaches for enthusiasm, she becomes increasingly aware of more possibilities. She’s thrilled to use AI to enhance her creative work, buzzing with excitement about her future. From here, potential can be seen everywhere.
2. Passionate / Empowered
Sarah’s Thoughts: “I feel as if I’m unstoppable. No matter what comes next, I’ve decided that every challenge will now be the fuel to keep following a career I absolutely adore, creating value, for myself and for others.”
When Sarah reached for what she felt truly passionate about she was empowered, fully aligned with her purpose, and ready to turn obstacles into opportunities. But the most important skill she’s gained, is the ability to navigate the Emotional Scale, now knowing she can calibrate any emotion, whenever she needs.
1. Pure Joy / Radiant Appreciation
Sarah’s Thoughts: “Life is incredibly abundant and I’m full of appreciation for every experience that led me here, and for finding a process that gives me total confidence, that I can handle anything.”
Sarah reaches for pure joy, and finds a space of unconditional alignment. She feels supported by the universe, revelling in the freedom of living her purpose. Financial concerns disappear into appreciation for life’s richness, and the funny thing is, when she’s in this emotional state, money become irrelevant—she just wants to experience this feeling again and again and again.
Why Sarah’s Journey Is So Important
Sarah experienced four major breakthroughs during her Emotional Scale Calibration — each one unlocking the next.
✽ 1. She learned to stop forcing gratitude.
At her lowest, well-meaning people told her to “just be grateful.” But she wasn’t anywhere near that state emotionally. Seeing where gratitude actually sits on the Emotional Scale helped her realise she wasn’t broken — she was just somewhere else on the scale. That alone brought huge relief. It gave her permission to be where she was, without shame. And that created space for real movement.
✽ 2. She recognised a damaging emotional loop.
Early on, Sarah identified a cycle that kept her stuck: Depressed → Angry → Guilty → Depressed — what’s often called the “Crazy 8 Pattern.” Her family had made her feel ashamed for expressing anger, pushing her right back into depression. Taking space from others while moving through reactive emotions (like 17. Angry / Resentful / Reactive) helped her stay with her own energy without being pulled back by guilt or shame — two taught emotions that don’t belong to her.
✽ 3. She made a powerful decision about guilt and shame.
When Sarah reached 10. Forgiving / Understanding, something clicked. Even in safe spaces, *guilt and shame still bubbled up — echoes of old cultural conditioning. She made a clear vow in that moment: to no longer let others make her feel guilty or ashamed… and to never do that to others again, either.
✽ 4. She stopped making big life choices from misaligned states.
By the time she reached more expansive levels, Sarah could see the difference. She remembered times she’d taken bold action from desperation or defiance — choices that drained her later. This time, she waited until she felt more like herself before deciding what was next. That made everything clearer and easier.
Sarah’s story shows that every emotion, from fear to joy, is valid and essential to cultivating a stronger understanding of how to work with emotions, rather than against them. By honouring each feeling and reaching for the next lighter thought (without pretending or forcing positivity), she changed her relationship with money—and impacted every aspect of her life. You can do the same.
Everything we want—whether it’s financial stability or a dream career—is because we think it’ll make us feel better. That’s why we use the Emotional Scale as our foundational guide. Yes, we do have to focus ourselves into a better feeling state for it to be effective, but there’s no need for mental processing, over-thinking, or analysing! Emotional Calibrating not only radically improves actions and outcomes related to income and money, but it transforms how you feel about your entire world.
Calibrate once and you gain a skill for life. It’s like tuning an instrument—each adjustment brings you closer to harmony. While it’s best not to get so out of tune that we have no choice but to find a new way to improve our lives, it doesn’t really matter where you start on the Emotional Scale—every step forward feels a little lighter, and with practice, it may only take a matter of minutes to find relief and feel better—and it’s yours to claim, whenever you need.
How to Calibrate Your Emotions Around Money
Ready to try it yourself? Here’s another simple, and playful way to calibrate how you feel not just about money, but about any topic at all:
Step 1: Pause and Name the Emotion. Take a deep breath, and allow yourself a moment to check in. Be honest and non-judgmental. Use the Emotional Scale to pinpoint your current emotional set point to ground you, and to know what to reach for next “How are you really feeling right now?”.
Step 2: Briefly Acknowledge the Cause. Ask yourself, “What got me here?” without going into too much detail. This brief acknowledgment grounds you, makes you focus, defines the topic you’re calibrating, and prepares you for movement forward. Example: “I’m feeling …… because of …….”
Step 3: Accept Where You Are. Acceptance is key. Feeling an unpleasant emotion doesn’t mean you’re broken — it means something is important to you, and being able to feel that matters. Make peace with where you are. This reduces resistance and provides relief. “Example: I am where I am, and it’s okay.”
Step 4: Take Small Steps Toward Relief. Instead of jumping from negative to positive, aim for a slight emotional improvement. Take your time and move just one step forward on the scale. Use statements that settle you and feel believable at your current level. Example: “I don’t need to fix things now—I can just find some relief.”
Step 5: Celebrate and Flow. Emotions are meant to move freely, let them flow rather than clinging, forcing, or pushing them away. Any movement is a win. Acknowledging even the most subtle shifts builds momentum, that leads to sustainable change over time. Example: “I moved on the scale—and that feels a little lighter! YES!”
What’s Your Next Step on The Scale?
Wherever you are on the Emotional Scale, all is well. Your emotions are your compass, guiding you toward greater confidence, freedom, and expansion. Try our Interactive Quick Start Emotional Scale or use our Emotional Calibration Process as your Daily Check-In tool, (they’re free). Pinpoint your current state and discover personalized steps to move forward. You’re not alone in this—we’re here, cheering you on. All emotions are valid and have a purpose. Let’s calibrate together and enjoy the ride so much more. You can START RIGHT HERE.
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*Guilt and shame are not natural emotions—they’re taught responses, and are included on The Emotional Scale for Alignment™ (Full Version with 39 emotional states).