A bad mood can last too long. This list of ways to get out of a bad mood can inspire you to try a new way to get out of your rut and onto the path to happiness.
- Mindfulness: Instead of going on “autopilot”, think about your thoughts and behavior. Once you become more conscious of what you’re thinking and how you’re reacting, it’s easier to notice areas for improvement.
- Choice Awareness: After becoming more mindful of your thoughts and reactions, you’re ready to move on to choice awareness. Knowing of your areas for improvement can lead you to consider alternatives. Some of the main principles of choice awareness:
- Knowledge of “healthy” patterns of behavior
- Realizing that happiness is not just for other people
- Recognize and CLAIM your WORTH!
- Knowledge that YOU are in control of your feelings—this helps you stop blaming others
- Forgiveness: Letting go of the pain of the past will give you a better future. When you forgive, you’re not saying that what happened to you was OK—you’re letting go of the pain.
- Establish boundaries—Establishing and Enforcing boundaries can help you to protect yourself from being hurt by other people. Although others are responsible for their actions (meaning you shouldn’t blame yourself if someone does you wrong), setting boundaries makes it easier to be assertive with others to demand respect. If others know you’re not an easy target, they are less likely to try to take advantage of your kindness. It’s easier to forgive and heal from anger when you can minimize violations from others.
- Change patterns: The patterns of your life can become so routine that it’s hard to question your actions and thoughts. Some responses become like a habit and your life follows the “path of least resistance” which becomes a rut. Staying in the same patterns keeps you on autopilot. Consciously changing your patterns can make it easier to become conscious of various aspects of your life.
- Ask for help! If you’re being overworked, it’s depleting your energy; this is a good part of claiming your worth—because you’re worthy of help.
- You can’t help others until you’ve helped yourself—like the oxygen mask on a plane. If you’re doing too much for others and not enough for yourself, you’ll end up with “compassion fatigue”.
- Ask for help! If you’re being overworked, it’s depleting your energy; this is a good part of claiming your worth—because you’re worthy of help.
- Minimize time around negative people in order to “heal” and establish a new outlook.
- Make changes to your schedule/environment—possibilities:
- Take a new “routine” wake up earlier to exercise or take care of things you’re too tired to do at night.
- Spring cleaning: Changing the daily surroundings which are in your control such as home and work space can make you more positive. Getting rid of clutter can keep your thoughts focused.
- Positive activities: Invest time in activities that boost your self-esteem.
- WRITE IT DOWN! List the positive things in your life, your resources, opportunities, etc.
- This solidifies your positive thoughts and the act of writing them down (or typing them) reinforces your positive thoughts through active engagement.
- Awareness of what you DO have—thinking more about what you have than what you don’t have can help you experience Thankfulness (gratitude).
- Keeping track of “winning” experiences changes your outlook on future experiences.
- Don’t ASSUME! When you externalize, issues become much more objective than real. If you’re always expecting the worst, that’s all you’ll notice in your life.
- Health: When you are in poor health, it’s difficult to be in a good mood. Pain and/or health problems can trigger your “fight or flight” response which can cause even worse health and a bad mood. Having (or perceiving) few options for escape from stressors in our lives reduces ways to flee in regards to “flight” which makes it more likely you will “fight” with others or internalize your bad feelings. In essence, you’re fighting yourself; in which case you are certain to lose—unless you decide to end the fight.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can be remedied by additional exposure to light.
- Get a sufficient amount of sleep.
- Address health concerns such as Blood Pressure, Insulin/Blood sugar levels, Internal issues such as Liver/Gallbladder health which can all affect your mood.
- Stop poisoning yourself: Smoking (and even artificial sweeteners—which are closely related to pesticides) are known to cause poor health and affect your mood. Alcohol is a depressant; also not recommended.
- Physical activity: Even if you don’t need to lose weight, engaging in physical activity is almost never a bad idea (as long as it is approved by your physician).
If you are living a sedentary life; even if you don’t need to lose weight, your doctor would likely encourage you to engage in some physical activity.
For personalized help with getting out of your rut to boost your mood, call CrossRoads at 317-842-8881 to schedule an appointment today.