How to stop a bad mood
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Doing the activity that stops any bad mood for me and elevates my life
Have you ever felt like something was wrong, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on what it could be?
Maybe you were in a bad mood and you couldn’t pin point why.
Or you were easy to irritate or lose your patience with those around you.
I have something for you that you can keep in your back pocket and that will get you out of this place in a snap.
I know this because I have used it in the times that I myself have felt a bit “off”, not knowing exactly what could be wrong, yet in the meantime not being able to show up as my best self in life.
Last year, when my family last moved homes, I got a bit consumed by the experience.
Packing, getting ready to move, getting our new home ready, all the while continuing to work, and at that time, carrying my first baby, was taking a lot out of me.
Yet despite things settling over the weeks after our move, I was still finding myself being grumpy with those around me (and even with myself!).
It was as if something was “wrong” and I just could not put my finger on it.
I was getting so restless, it was starting to impact my meditation practice!
Then one day, I randomly found myself in my kitchen cooking a meal for my family, something I hadn’t done in a long time. Due to the move, we had resorted to eating out a lot. We couldn’t find the time to cook, and so we would grab food while out and running errands.
Now, I knew that eating out as much as we were was less than ideal for the health of my body, but I did not realize the impact it was taking on the health of my spirit.
On that day, as I was standing behind my cutting board mincing garlic, chopping onions, and sautéing tomatoes, I felt all of the stress leaving my body.
It was heaven.
As I was cleaning up, I realized how peaceful and content I felt.
Something I hadn’t experienced in a long time!
And though I have always known the great pleasure I derive from cooking, the relief it brings to my overall wellbeing was something I had underestimated during those weeks.
This leads me to what I want you to carry in your back pocket at all times.
In your back pocket you should always have 1 or 2 activities that help elevate your wellbeing, especially your emotional and mental wellbeing, at any given time.
When we identify activities that elevate into greater happiness and peace, we can keep them in our back pocket and use them when we are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, or sad.
Now here are two questions for you:
- Do you love yourself enough to take the time to identify these activities in your life?
One activity for me is cooking, what is an activity for you?
Maybe it is going on a run, going to a museum, having a cup of coffee at a bakery on the way to work…
We all have an activity that shifts us from one state to the other.
Have you identified which one is yours?
2. Do you love yourself enough to perform this activity?
I know I have been guilty of trying to just brute force through things.
I know that getting up from my desk and going for a walk and getting a tea will do me well. But at times I ignore this knowledge and sit for hours straight trying to produce as much work as possible.
As you can imagine, I end up using a lot more energy to do the same quality of work than if I gave myself the tea break and came back.
Or, maybe we get stuck on the “hassle” it is to get in the car, find parking, and visit a museum. We totally disregard the incredible benefits to our wellbeing and that of our family.
Yet when we stack up the benefits next to the hassles, they clearly show it’s worth it.
Do you love yourself, and those around you, enough to take the time to follow through with the activity that you know elevates you?
My hope is that you take the time to identify what it is you need in life so that you can be at your best, and then do it.
When who we are on the inside emanates happiness and peace, the people around us can see this and engage with us in a completely different way.
Our surroundings are impacted by our way of being and change in wonderful ways.
We thus become co-creators of our lives, an incredibly powerful experience.
Remember (and share this image with your others):
I hope this article was of service to you. I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment or question below.
Do you know someone who would benefit from knowing how to stop a bad mood? If so, share this article with them, or share it with your friends and family so they can also start creating the life they want to live.
Judith