Bust a Mood

My toolbox for what gets me out of a rotten mood

When I’m in a pissy mood, the last thing I want is for someone to tell me to cheer up or how to cheer up. Thankfully, I am not grumpy very often these days. I attribute this to a bunch of things (as we always say, it’s never just one thing), mostly just being older and having less responsibilities and obligations. Of course, I created this situation to make myself happier, but I needed the years and perspective to be able to.

There are a few things that definitely help me these days when that grumpiness does come, and they are really fool-proof. I’m sure you probably have heard of at least most of them, but maybe not. Or maybe it’s just that–you’ve heard of them or read about them, but maybe you haven’t tried them. I’d like to challenge you to try these that I’m about to mention. And I really would like to hear about whether they worked for you or not.

Get outside. Fresh air, nature, a different perspective. This is the easiest way to boost my mood. I discovered it simply because I had to go outside to walk my dog. I was in a bad mood for whatever reason and within minutes, my mood was significantly better and my thoughts were clearer. Just breathing fresh air and being around grass and trees and birds allowed me to get out of my head. Now, this is my first line of defense against a pissy mood.

Watch the sunrise/sunset. Especially if it’s over a body of water–boy does this put things into perspective. I would put this in the same category of looking at any other literally awesome part of the natural world. It makes us feel smaller and could possibly give you a perspective of what’s really important and what isn’t. Awe is a natural mood booster, and we get it by being in nature, but let’s say it’s -4℉ with blustery winds. Then, perhaps you can tune into a nature channel on your TV or on YouTube and be amazed. The point is, find awe somehow and you’ll also find that your mood just got better.

Move. Natural endorphins. A walk, a jog, dancing, shooting some hoops, jumping jacks, playing a sport, even going to the gym. Nearly a guarantee of a better mood with just a short time of moving. For me, playing tennis is a reliable mood booster. It has the movement and a social aspect that helps as well. I can’t always drum up a tennis match when I’m in a bad mood, but I can move my body in some way in almost any situation. With that, breathing also helps. Stuck in a teeny tiny seat on an international flight one night, I couldn’t really move, but I could do my box breathing: Breath in for a count of four, hold four counts, breathe out for four, hold for four. Over and over and over again.

Hydrate. Could it simply be that your cells are thirsty? We often forget to drink water and perhaps your dull mood is simply mild dehydration that can affect how we think and feel. Give it a try for a good week of being consistently hydrated by choosing an appropriate amount of water to drink per day and keep to it. See if you are in a better mood that week. My number is 64 ounces (a half gallon) per day, which includes tea. I also notice how much better I sleep when I’m hydrated and that, in itself, makes me in a better mood for the most part.

Create boundaries. Are you giving yourself away too much? Not having enough time or attention to ourselves can put us in a negative state of mind. Look out for you by making boundaries around the time you give to others or the time people have access to you. This is the hardest suggestion, I know, but it has a big payback. Find spaces of time for yourself, even if just a little. I started the habit of putting blocks on my Google calendar for times that I don’t schedule appointments or lunch dates or even work meetings. This is my own time to do whatever I want to do: nap, read, write, play.

Brain dump. When you get overwhelmed by all the things you want/have/need to do, and you have five different to-do lists, you can get frozen with overwhelm. I do. My medicine for this is what I call my brain dump. I get a piece of paper and write down everything I can think of that I want/need/have to do in no particular order. I just get it all down. Sometimes I write other stuff on there, like things that are annoying me or making me sad or upset. This practice just empties my head and the relief is real. I often go back to it and organize it, crossing some things out completely and putting others on to a real to-do list with dates and times.

Count your blessings. I know it’s cliche. I also know it works to get me in a better mood for sure. Even ones that may not be so obvious. This past weekend, I texted a few neighbors to see if anyone had a bicycle I could borrow since mine had a totally flat tire. My now-grown daughter and husband and I wanted to ride to the ice cream shop for an old-time activity. All three of my neighbors answered offering bicycles, and one even gave me the code to her garage to get one. I love living where I do that I have neighbors like this. I’m going to guess that you have some blessings in your life. Probably a lot of them. Go ahead and count some of them. It will make you feel better.

That’s my toolbox of things to do when I’m feeling down. Don’t get me wrong, none of them are instant remedies. Most of them also don’t take very long. Do you have any tools that work for you? Please share. I’d love to add more tools to my toolbox.