The bad news is that bad moods can be easy to acquire. The good news is, they can be just as easy to break. The catch is that you have to want to break the mood. Before a bad mood gets the best of you or your family, friends or coworkers, read these helpful tips to get over it and get on with it...
Whatever may have caused your bad mood, it’s time to get over it. We are all entitled to have an occasional bad mood. After all, we get curve balls thrown at us every once in awhile. But we are not entitled to letting our bad moods affect our work or personal lives.
Although we’ve all heard the expression a million times, life really is too short to sweat the small stuff. Besides, who has time to indulge a bad mood with all that we have on our plates? If you find your mood gravitating toward the dark side, it’s best to nip it in the bud before it escalates or spreads to others. Here are some helpful ways to help diffuse your bad mood:
Divert your focus: Sometimes you find yourself in a bad mood for no good reason. It could be because you aren’t doing anything productive. Find a project to focus on. The task doesn’t have to be a long or complicated one. It could be as easy as washing your car or finishing painting the backyard fence. The point is to find something where you get tangible results. In turn, you will feel gratified, and feeling gratified is a great way to lift a bad mood.
Find alone time: Get rid of any outside influences that may be adding to your negativity. Shut the door, walk to the park and turn off your cell phone. Be one with yourself. Try meditating or doing yoga positions.
Exercise: This is a great way to relieve stress and get those endorphins going. Even if it’s a walk around the block or jogging on the treadmill, exercise has a way of making you feel energized quickly. You also become more in tune with your body and what it’s actually capable of, making you feel strong and accomplished.
Indulge: Go for a massage or chill out in your gym’s sauna room. Ask your best friend to join for you a nice dinner out or treat yourself to that afternoon nap you’ve been dreaming about. Take a luxurious bubble bath. Indulge in something you might not normally indulge in.
Give: When you’re in a bad mood, you may feel like it’s all about you. Your problems are so overwhelming that you deserve to dwell in them. Instead of giving in to this way of thinking, just try giving. Gather up those size 4 clothes that you haven’t been able to fit in since high school and donate them to the Salvation Army. Volunteer at the local soup kitchen for a few hours. When you witness other people’s problems, your problems might seem miniscule in comparison, therefore easier to solve.
Smile: Find something that is guaranteed to make you smile. It might be looking through old photo albums or popping in your all-time favorite movie. Engaging your senses or reliving fond memory is the perfect ticket out of Bad Moodville.
If you find yourself in a perpetual bad mood and can’t pinpoint a cause or reason, you might be experiencing a form of depression. Bad moods and depression are different. A bad mood is only a temporary emotional state. Depression is a continuous emotional state where the person can experience a variety of symptoms that interfere with their everyday life. Being able to differentiate between the two is necessary for seeking treatment.
Remember when your mom told you that a being in a bad mood is not an excuse to have an attitude? She was right. A bad mood might be justified, but don’t let it ruin your day, or anyone else’s for that matter. Take control and get on with it.
Whatever may have caused your bad mood, it’s time to get over it. We are all entitled to have an occasional bad mood. After all, we get curve balls thrown at us every once in awhile. But we are not entitled to letting our bad moods affect our work or personal lives.
Although we’ve all heard the expression a million times, life really is too short to sweat the small stuff. Besides, who has time to indulge a bad mood with all that we have on our plates? If you find your mood gravitating toward the dark side, it’s best to nip it in the bud before it escalates or spreads to others. Here are some helpful ways to help diffuse your bad mood:
Divert your focus: Sometimes you find yourself in a bad mood for no good reason. It could be because you aren’t doing anything productive. Find a project to focus on. The task doesn’t have to be a long or complicated one. It could be as easy as washing your car or finishing painting the backyard fence. The point is to find something where you get tangible results. In turn, you will feel gratified, and feeling gratified is a great way to lift a bad mood.
Find alone time: Get rid of any outside influences that may be adding to your negativity. Shut the door, walk to the park and turn off your cell phone. Be one with yourself. Try meditating or doing yoga positions.
Exercise: This is a great way to relieve stress and get those endorphins going. Even if it’s a walk around the block or jogging on the treadmill, exercise has a way of making you feel energized quickly. You also become more in tune with your body and what it’s actually capable of, making you feel strong and accomplished.
Indulge: Go for a massage or chill out in your gym’s sauna room. Ask your best friend to join for you a nice dinner out or treat yourself to that afternoon nap you’ve been dreaming about. Take a luxurious bubble bath. Indulge in something you might not normally indulge in.
Give: When you’re in a bad mood, you may feel like it’s all about you. Your problems are so overwhelming that you deserve to dwell in them. Instead of giving in to this way of thinking, just try giving. Gather up those size 4 clothes that you haven’t been able to fit in since high school and donate them to the Salvation Army. Volunteer at the local soup kitchen for a few hours. When you witness other people’s problems, your problems might seem miniscule in comparison, therefore easier to solve.
Smile: Find something that is guaranteed to make you smile. It might be looking through old photo albums or popping in your all-time favorite movie. Engaging your senses or reliving fond memory is the perfect ticket out of Bad Moodville.
If you find yourself in a perpetual bad mood and can’t pinpoint a cause or reason, you might be experiencing a form of depression. Bad moods and depression are different. A bad mood is only a temporary emotional state. Depression is a continuous emotional state where the person can experience a variety of symptoms that interfere with their everyday life. Being able to differentiate between the two is necessary for seeking treatment.
Remember when your mom told you that a being in a bad mood is not an excuse to have an attitude? She was right. A bad mood might be justified, but don’t let it ruin your day, or anyone else’s for that matter. Take control and get on with it.
