Nine Quick Ways to Transform a Bad Mood

Well, hello Crabby McGrumperson. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Or maybe like me, you get annoyed by all of the Christmas stuff out before December. ‘Tis the season. And worse, you just can’t seem to shake it.

Doesn’t really matter how you got to this place, only that you want to change it.

Here are nine simple ways you can change your mood and get back to enjoying the day. Pick one that sounds appealing and give it a try.

1.  Move

The quickest way to shift your emotions is to shift your body.  Think about your bad mood and simply start jumping up and down.  How long can you hold onto the feelings?  You can also take a walk, do a few stretches, spin around in your chair for a minute, do Dance of Shiva, or something else that moves your body.

2.  Gratitude

Look through your gratitude journal and add to it.  If you don’t have one, start one!  Each day write down five things for which you are grateful.  You can simply make a list, or expand on each item, writing more about why you are grateful. It sets you up to see the things you enjoy each day.

3.  Do Something Nice for Somebody

It doesn’t matter if it’s someone you know or a perfect stranger, a small thing or something big.  Just do something that will make another person smile.  Think along the lines of a Random Act of Kindness or Pay it Forward.

4.  Revel In It

Spend 15 minutes writing about why you’re grumpy.  Really get into it.  Dig deep and spill it all out onto the page.  Make sure you write for the full time and exhaust all your reasons for being grumpy, even if you have to repeat yourself.

5.  Breathe

Get into a comfortable position.  Inhale deep into your belly to the count of four.  Hold to the count of seven and exhale to the count of eight. If the counting is confusing, just inhale comfortably, hold it for a moment and then enjoy a really long exhale.

6.  Do Something Nice for Yourself

Take a few minutes to take care of yourself.  Rub a magical potion on your hands or feet, taking time to massage every square inch of skin.  Brush your hair or massage your scalp.  Just check in to your body and notice what feels comfortable and what could use adjustment.

7.  Vent

Call a friend who will just let you vent out loud.  This is not the time to call the friend or family member who has specific ideas about how you should be living your life.  This is an opportunity to get acknowledgment and empathy.  If you don’t have someone in your life that knows the drill, feel free to tell them that what you’d like to hear is something like, “That sucks.  I’m sorry you’re going through this.  I’m sure you can handle it.  Is there anything you need?”

8.  Get Your Grin On

Watch your favorite laugh-out loud movie, call a funny friend, read a couple of jokes you keep around just for this purpose.  Just start smiling and laughing, even if you have to fake it at first.

9.  Change the Chatter in Your Head

Are you narrating your life as you experience it, or do you maybe just use key phrases to encourage or berate yourself?  Stop for a moment and tune into what you’re saying inside your head.  Notice how you are saying it.  Imagine saying those things to a three-year-old you love and care about deeply.  Would you?  Play with the voice.  Move it around – have it come from your big toe.  Make it high-pitched and squeaky.  Now using your own voice say the kindest thing you can think of; make sure it would sound at least pleasant if not totally encouraging to a three-year-old.

How ’bout you?

Do you have a favorite way to transform a bad mood? Did you give one of these a try? Let me know how it goes for you.