Make over a bad mood
Nobody, and I mean nobody, is Suzy Sunshine all the time. Bad moods happen. So after you've pouted and sulked, how can you makeover a bad mood? Here, some ways to turn that frown upside down, or, at the very least, get it back to a neutral position.
Say thank you. Say it to barista at your coffee shop, say it to the bus driver. Say it for all the little things you take for granted in your life: the crisp feeling of the sheets when you climb into bed, the amazing soup from the deli on the corner, your new red shoes that are somehow comfortable and fierce at the same time. Say thank you, too, for the big things we take for granted every day: a roof overhead, a loving partner who cleans the bathroom, and a sound body and mind.
Move. I doubt you want to hear that exercise will cheer you up, but what if we call it "movement"? That could mean a yoga break, dancing around the living room to your favorite song, or window shopping. Just get up from your funk and move. To get endorphins and blood flowing that will help clear your mind, try to break a sweat and go at it for 10 minutes.
Get to the roots. If you're in a bad mood because you and your sister had an epic blow-up, a spin on your bike might get your endorphins pumping, but the real problem is still going to be there when pop down the kickstand. Is there something you can do in 10 minutes to get to the heart of the matter? You might want to just pick up the phone to say you're sorry you fought without getting back into the nitty-gritty of who was right. Letting go of needling anxieties can completely banish a bad mood.
Go outside. Our minds our crowded little places and our homes can feel confining on a bad day. Everywhere you turn, laundry, dishes, and clutter give your bad mood more fodder. Studies show that getting outside -- or even just thinking about being outside -- can increase feelings of being alive, happiness, and enthusiasm. Being outdoors provides the sun and fresh air that our bodies need, but we connect with the energy of other living things increases our feelings of vitality. There's a reason why Thoreau got caught up in the soap opera of the ants at Walden Pond. Walk through the park or sit in your backyard to be reminded not only of the part your life plays in a bigger scheme of life, but how dang pretty nature can be. Sink your hands into the dirt, gather some leaves, or sit on a bench, the sun in your face, and just watch some birds flit from tree to tree.
Put it in perspective. Sometimes things don't go your way and there's not a thing you can do about it. Like when the internet goes out before a big dealine or you get totally soaked in the rain while wearing those new red shoes. Sometimes, even, we just wake up in nasty funk without a reason. This isn't the new state of affairs -- it's just the way you feel right now, and as they say, this, too, shall pass. Just remembering the impermanence of the moment is often enough to remind you that soon enough, you'll be back to your old Suzy Sunshine self.
