Being in a bad mood is the absolute worst. You feel almost powerless to stop it as it slowly takes over and potentially ruins the rest of the day. Stop it in its tracks by allowing yourself to feel it. It sounds counterintuitive, but acceptance is the first step to growth and moving on. Here are a few ways to give into your bad mood and successfully move on from it.
It’s Okay
You’ve found yourself in a bad mood – it’s okay! You are not alone, and everyone has experienced exactly how you are feeling. Take some immediate solace in the fact it is just human nature to get a couple bees in your bonnet from time to time. Turn inward and accept that you are in a bad mood without trying to fix it right away. Let it breathe in your system and stew for a little bit. Most of the time we try to quickly to “snap out of it,” but the truth is, that never works. Go slow and gradual and figure out from moment-to-moment small little ways to help your mood. Maybe it’s just needing a little snack or water to feel refreshed.
Set a Timer
If slow isn’t working for you, set a timer to be in as much as a bad mood as you want for the next 15 minutes. When the timer is done, your mood is done and it’s time to move on. Get it all out in a timely fashion knowing this too shall pass. Sometimes allowing yourself the feel exactly how you feel and putting up boundaries for doing so is exactly what your mind and body needs to release. You might even find you feel much better way before the timer goes off.
Be Honest with Those Around You
Don’t let it be an excuse for bad behavior, especially if you find yourself constantly in a ‘bad mood’ there might be a bigger issue to explore, but be honest with your family, friends, or coworkers when you just aren’t feeling it. Letting them know you aren’t at your best makes you more relatable and people love feeling commonality and humility. They might know to just leave you alone or maybe they’ll cheer you up, but they’ll never know unless you let them know what’s going on. Communication will help you through it.
How Did I Get Here?
Another good tactic for a bad mood is retracing your steps to find the root problem. Most of the time the straw that broke the camel’s back isn’t the real issue. Try moving backwards from the current predicament and find what the real issue is. Even playing through everything is your brain’s own way of unpacking and analyzing. You will be one step closer to trying to move on and fix whatever has been bothering you.
Getting out of a bad mood can be challenging, but hopefully these ideas will help you feel better in no time.
