All of us have times when we just seem to be in a bad mood with the
world in general. Here’s a few quotes from the last hour or two on
Twitter:
- “People suck. I’m in a bad mood. Ugh.”
- “Wish I knew why I was in such a fowl mood. Nothing bad happened today, in fact it went rather well. I just feel like… bleh!”
- “Ever just *know* you’re going to be in a bad mood, like a weather forecast? Hoping tomorrow’s not a bad day.”
I’m sure you can think of some moments during the past week when
you’ve felt exactly the same. I know I can. And I hate being grumpy: I
snap at people unfairly, I feel a complete lack of motivation towards my
goals, and I often end up spiralling further and further into a Really
Bad Mood.
Gradually, though, I’ve found some things which really do help when I’m feeling like this. The hardest thing is actually doing them.
When I’m grouchy, a big part of me wants to stay grouchy and fed-up,
and I struggle to see the point of trying to feel better. So print out
this list, or write your favourite ways on a big bit of paper, and stick
it to the wall – and promise yourself that next time you want to kick
the cat, yell at your neighbour and phone up your mom to whinge, you’ll
try something from the list first.
1. Buy some candy that you loved as a kid
1. Buy some candy that you loved as a kid
I’m putting this one first because it never fails to put a smile on
my face. Head to the nearest corner shop and grab some candy, just make
sure it’s one of your childhood favourites. (Mine is a Kinder Surprise – there’s no way I can be in a bad mood after one of them!)
2. Take a shower or bath
Sometimes, just a simple act of caring for yourself – like grooming –
is enough to snap you out of a bad mood. It also has the advantage of
taking you away from any innocent bystanders (family members/housemates)
who might otherwise get the brunt of your bad mood.
3. Read a piece of fiction
I was the sort of teen who’d stomp up the stairs and slam my bedroom
door (though not before yelling “I hate you all!”) One of my favourite
past-times back then, though, was reading – and a few pages of something
escapist, usually science-fiction, tended to make me forget whatever
had put me in a bad mood in the first place.
4. Make a mug of tea/coffee/hot chocolate
If you’re getting into a strop with your work, a good way to get
perspective is to step away from the computer and make yourself a
soothing hot drink. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or various herbal
varieties are all great – go with whatever you enjoy. I find that
peppermint tea helps me to relax.
5. Take a walk
Exercise gets happy hormones flowing and inevitably improves your
mood. If you’ve ever started off your gym session in a horrible temper
but ended it feeling blissfully relaxed, you’ll know just how effective
this can be. Walking briskly to work off some energy is an excellent way
to bring yourself out of your bad mood – and, like getting a bath or
shower, it means you’re taking yourself out of range of your nearest and
dearest.
6. Write down five things you love about your life
I guarantee you won’t want to do this when you’re in a grump or a
sulk. But force yourself. Grab a sheet of paper, write “FIVE THINGS I
LOVE ABOUT MY LIFE:” and list them. Doesn’t matter if they’re big or
small. If you’re still not feeling better after that, make it ten
things…
7. Watch an episode of your favourite TV show
Like reading a good book, watching your favourite show draws you into
a fictional world and makes you forget whatever’s bugging you in the
real one. Switch on a show that you really love, and enjoy it. Ideally,
go with something light-hearted, funny or feel-good.
8. Get on with a chore that you’ve been putting off
Again, this isn’t something you’ll want to do, at all. But you’re in a
foul mood anyway, so you might as well. Grab your cleaning stuff and
get stuck in on one of those chores you’ve been putting off – cleaning
the oven, scrubbing the bath, doing the washing-up, tidying. Whatever it
is, you’ll be happier once it’s done and finally off your mental
“should-get-round-to” list.
9. Laugh
Finally, the simplest and best way to snap out of a bad mood is just
to laugh. At yourself, at your kids’ antics, at the world, at the
television – it doesn’t matter. Just laugh. It’s almost impossible to
stay in a bad mood while you’re laughing.
So how about you? Do you resort to one of the above methods every
time you’re in a grump? Do you have your own way of snapping out of it?
Or do you secretly enjoy being down and miserable?
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