Manage your mood

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “he got out of the wrong side of bed this morning”. We use it to describe people who are grumpy or irritable. I think we all have days when we make heavy weather of things. And yet on other days, everything seems to be a breeze. This article is about practical things you can do to manage your mood.

There are those who say that it is possible to choose your mood. They contend that your mood is a consequence of an act of will. You can override negative feelings and choose to have a bright, cheery outlook.

On the other hand, there are those who think we are at the mercy of whatever life throws at us. They see mood as connected to external events. For them, happiness is short-lived and fragile. When they’re happy, it’s as if they’re walking a tightrope, and a gust of wind could push them off into negativity and gloom.

I tend towards the first position, but think that the assertion that you choose your mood is a bit stark for most of us. It’s particularly difficult if there is a strong cause for pain or distress in your life. We have to live with and through those feelings. But in everyday life, I think there are some practical things that we can all do to help urge ourselves towards a positive outlook and optimism.

For me it’s important to eat. If I’m hungry, I become ratty, and that’s that. It’s amazing how even the first few mouthfuls of food transform my outlook. Once I’ve got some food inside me, the world looks completely different.

Sleep is also important. There are some good tips on sleeping well on the BBC health website http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/articles/advicetips.shtml Tiredness makes it more difficult to lift our mood, so getting a good night’s sleep is key to keeping our mood positive.

But if we’ve slept well, and have got food in our stomach, then I believe that, in the normal run of things, our mood is largely down to us. We can choose to take a positive, optimistic outlook on life, or we can choose to get into a flap. Spending time outdoors, taking part in activities that engage us and enjoying time with other people usually help our mood.

I outline below some practical things you can do to help keep your mood positive. You might also find my post, Beat the Blues useful. I think it’s important to think about how we will stay upbeat as the clocks go back.

So can you choose your mood? To a large extent I think you can. See if you can do just that, and get out of the right side of bed, every morning!


Managing your mood: practical tips

1. Be aware

Sometimes we slip into fretting about things or negativity without realising it. Take time out to notice what frame of mind you’re in. Are you wearing a frown? Is your jaw tight? Is your stomach knotted? These are all signs of stress and anxiety. If you become aware of them, you have the opportunity to do something about them.

2. Take action

Action can often be the antidote to worry. Rather than fret about all the things you face, work out what the first step towards solving the problem might be, and do it.

3. Work on your outlook

You may not be able to do anything about external circumstances, but you can do something about your reaction to them. See what happens if you decide to adopt a positive outlook. Are you a glass-half-empty person? If so, what are you going to do about it?

4. Be kind

As those of you who were Smiths fans in the eighties may know, “it takes guts to be gentle and kind”. Kindness really does make a difference, to you, and to those around you. Being kind will boost your mood and take you out of yourself.

5. Smile!

Smiling is infectious. You’ll be surprised how well people respond to you if you catch their eye and smile. Smiling lifts your mood. If you find yourself feeling down, force yourself to smile. It helps you to connect to the reserves of goodwill and positive energy that are within you.

You can learn to manage your mood so that you don’t get dragged down by the cares or worries we all face. Have a go now. With practice you can learn to make sure that you remain positive and upbeat, no matter what life throws at you.