In a Bad Mood? Cheer up!

In a Bad Mood? Are things not turning out how you’d like?  Is everyone incompetent and inconsiderate?  Is it just incredible how they can do those things?

Every one has fallen victim before to bad moods: we don’t want to know anything, everything irritates and infuriates us, we feel that no one understands us or considers us, and a lot of times we scream and do and say aggressive things.  Or, we isolate ourselves, or give the silent treatment to everything that prevents us from doing, being, or having what we want.

If you are in a bad mood, don’t worry.  The truth is, bad moods and non-conformity aren’t such bad friends, they’re just reactions to different things that take place in our head, and that we interpret a certain way.  In order to cheer up, the best thing is to first know that everything has a solution, and that nothing is so serious that we can’t change it whenever we want.  Do you think something can’t change?  Well, you must know then that limitation is never out there, but rather, within yourself.  Just knowing the cause of what makes you feel bad is good enough, so you can fix it.

So the first thing to know is what causes are creating your bad mood:

• Feeling tense, weighed down by work or pressures.
• Not having time, money, or space for what you want to do, or to buy what you want to buy.
• Feeling trapped in a routine that you no longer like, nor that satisfies you.
• Not sleeping well.
• Not eating well, nor ingesting enough calories.
• Working too much.
• Feeling competition.
• Feeling judged or guilty.
• Fear that something can’t be achieved.

What can you do to cheer up?

Well.  Eating and resting appropriately helps the nervous system to fulfill its basic functions, giving it energy to face the problems of the day.  Junk food and food full of chemicals, sugars, and additives degenerate and irritate the nervous system, and could predispose you every day to being altered, nervous, or unmotivated.  There is nothing better that quality food, salads and vegetable juices, seaweed, nuts and cold-pressed vegetable oils, to help keep your nervous system very healthy.

On the other side of things, exercising a bit every day and drinking enough water is very helpful for oxygenating the brain, and for helping you be healthy and relaxed, ready to give your best throughout the day.  Also, exercising helps liberate frustrated or pent-up emotions during the day, which could cause a lot of internal tension or pressure.

Along with what was previously stated, you must look at bad moods as having to do with a feeling of non-conformity.  It is a sign that something in your life needs to be reevaluated and reconsidered.  Being in a bad mood is a way for life to give us a small push, so we enter into ourselves and reflect.

Bad moods generally begin with a slight feeling of non-conformity.  If we don’t deal with this call for attention, our bad mood could increase, and could even turn into an aggressive, intolerant, and even violent character.

That’s why, if you’re in a bad mood, a good pretext would be to take a bit of time and think about what it is that is making you feel infuriated.  The truth is, a big part of bad moods has to do with where you’re looking at things from.  And if you observe, a lot of times we do things to please others, so they recognize us, admire us, and more.  Or, because we feel it to be inescapable chore, or rather, that there’s no other way.  When you constantly feel threatened, trapped, judged, and/or under competition, your irritation increases, because it takes a lot of energy to be trying to please, look outstanding, and serve the whole world.  And the worst thing is when no one notices or recognizes it!

So the best thing, in your case, is to before anything, begin to reconsider what you want, what would you like to do, and give yourself the time to enjoy yourself.  It could be that you say that there are things to do that you can’t let go of, like taking care of the kids or attending to work subjects.  However, being able to feel the alternative of renouncing these obligations is always very attractive.  For example, sometimes in the morning, a mother could ask herself if she wants to do her motherly functions, or if she wants a free morning.  Perhaps the first response would be :a free morning!”  And in that case it is always better to leave the house a little bit messy to go out and be free for a while, and come back more energized, than having the house cleans and being in a bad mood the whole day because “there are things that one must do, and there’s no time for me”.  So, this free time should be focused, especially when you begin to feel in a bad mood or intolerant, to examining what you no longer like or are not okay with.  If the problem is work, it’s best to ask for a day off or some free time.  I frequently say: “it’s always better to lose one day of money, than to lose your life with money.”

You must frequently take time for yourself, whereby you evaluate alternatives and let the mind be free, to explore and propose new options for life that make us feel enjoyable, free, and happy.  Dreaming reality and letting ourselves be guided by what we want, is what gives us energy, nourishment, and life to the heart.  If he doesn’t dream, man runs the risk of getting trapped in routines and a mechanical, tired, and little nourishing life.

Once we dream, we must not lose sight of “the ground”, or rather, we must keep the reality we have clear, with all its advantages and inconveniences.  We must believe in the the things we want, and learn to be stronger, and impose what we want in an intelligent and wise way, to move consciously.

Confidence in ourselves is a key part to turning our mood either in our favor, or against it.  If we don’t have confidence in what we are and what we can do, we could then frustrate our drive to achieve our deepest desires, and we will be in a bad mood.  Trusting in ourselves is learning to see ourselves not as others see us, but as we want to see ourselves.  This means creating a dignified image of ourselves and then, trying to be as we see ourselves.  Believing in yourself means, also, understanding that life is not what anyone says or tells us, but can be like I want it to be.

Creative visualization against bad mood

Another way to transform bad moods into a positive attitude is to learn to think of things that make us feel confident and in harmony.  The key to this visualization or meditation lies in concentrating on thinking that everything that happens in this life is always fleeting.  Nothing stays in the same place forever, and everything, at the end of the day, grows and evolves towards something even greater.  As chaotic and problematic as life can be, there is always something there that is waiting for nothing more than to be seen by you, so the situation changes.  To achieve this, you must concentrate your attention on words that inspire you and give you encouragement.  Become your own best friend.  The affirmations that are currently popular could work.  Repeat a few times “I am a creative person that is at peace, and trusts in the process of life”, etc.  This will help more pleasant emotions to flow through your body and your work.  You must not only repeat this affirmation, but also feel it.  Understand that truthfully, you are a creative person, and that a divine wisdom deep inside you could take charge of all that seems blocked, the key is to trust in it.

And lastly, something that you should not forget, is to never take life or its issues personally, formally, or seriously.  Life is a game of exploration, everything there is there for you to discover how many things you can be and feel, learn to let others be because only in that way will you be able to let yourself do what you want.  You will be able to have more confidence that the things you want will come, without having to compete or be better or worse.  Everything comes when you let your heart have fun, explore, and learn.  And if you feel free and happy, you will undoubtedly be able to share and create more things in your world, and this world.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 09/21/2014

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