MOODS!

Yikes!

Ever wake up in a totally foul humor?  Or just generally down?  Don't you just hate that?  Especially when things are fine?  Okay - fine enough :-)  No major crises.. just the usual little ones running all around.. but that's just life... so no reason for it to get under your skin..

What do you do to lift it?  OR DO you lift it?  Do you let your MOOD take charge of your LIFE?

So this is where my head is today... I am really a very moody person... my brain NEVER turns off!  But what I love about life is that I can turn it around :-)  On any given day, the final solution may be different, but the process is the same:

1.  Recognize and acknowledge your feelings. 
     DO NOT JUDGE them.... just SEE them and validate their existence.
         For example, I feel sad and unhappy today. 
            DO NOT say..... you are STUPID for feeling this way.. you are incredibly blessed, why do you think you should feel bad?, the sun is shining... what is WRONG with you? ... (you know the drill... you probably know the self-beating litany as well as I do :-)

2.  Is there a REASON for your feeling.... THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS RIGHT NOW?
        For example.... are you sick, hungry, tired, etc?   Is there a bill that is late, a mess that needs to be cleaned up, a family member that needs a hug you haven't given?

  If you can fix something right now.... go do it.  Just do it.. don't ask questions, don't second guess yourself... just do it.  Many times, just handling the ONE thing standing in your way can lift the mood and make the day lighter.

3.  For almost everything else .. long-term big issues... general unhappiness (NOT clinical depression!)... I find that following a set routine helps me most.
 
So... first I take care of my physical needs  (like food and rest and exercise)  I tend to ignore those needs when I am in a MOOD.  I tend to eat non-nutritive things, skip sleep and exercise.  This does NOT help me!  ( For instance, RIGHT NOW, I need to eat breakfast - NOT have another cup of coffee :-)

I go about my daily routine.  Handling the business of the day makes me feel like my MOOD is not controlling me.  (The usual morning load of laundry is humming, my bathroom is neat and the kitchen in order)

Sitting around whining or feeling sorry for myself.... that means that I am not in charge of my life.  I do not want to be jerked around (even by ME)

When possible, I do physical work... for me, that helps the most.  It gives me something different to think about... it helps me TURN OFF the voices that are filling me with unhappiness or confusion.  Heading out to the yard when it is warm enough or deep cleaning a room are things I like to do...  NOT because I necessarily enjoy the chore!  But I try to think of things that have a RESULT that will make me happy. (I think today will be a GOOD day to THROW some stiff away!)

And, failing all that, I act like my OWN BFF :-)  I ask myself... if I were advising my child or my best friend... what would I tell them to do?  (Because sitting around moping is NOT usually what I would advise for a moody person!)  Soo.... a little later on, I will have a cup of my favorite tea and crochet a little..

(Be careful when rewarding yourself... if you sit around doing this ALL DAY, you might end a day beating yourself up for NOT doing things that need to be done.  It usually works better - FOR ME - to get some things accomplished FIRST)

I find that even if I do not manage to change things around... if I can sit at the end of the day and SEE some things accomplished, I will feel better in SPITE of myself!

When the day starts badly.... create a mental picture of the END of your day.... what do you want it to look like? 

Leave a comment here and tell me your FAVORITE way to lift up a day that starts out on the wrong foot!