How To Stop A Bad Mood In It's Tracks
I sometimes suffer from a severe case of chronic enthusiasm but being happy and positive all the time can be exhausting, and keeping up this sunny disposition takes work.
Whether you have PMS, are having a crappy week at work, are upset at someone or something specific, or simply woke up on the wrong side of the bed, you can do something about it before it ruins your day.
Mood and happiness are proven to be heavily influenced by your own deliberate actions. So let’s do just that:
Become Little Miss Sunshine
30 mins of exercise, fresh air and sunshine does more than you know. There’s no need to run 10k – but some outdoor action is a guaranteed fix when you’re feeling mentally drained. It increases endorphins and boosts your mood, so chuck on your sneakers and take some big deep breaths, “inhaling the good shit, exhaling the bullshit.”
Go glam
When you are feeling down, the last thing you feel like doing is getting dressed up. BUT, making the effort to put on that LBD and a bold lip colour for a change will instantly boost your confidence and have your mood lifted in no time. (Moping around in your trackies with your hair in a messy bun will probably have the opposite effect!)
Grab a snack
Believe it or not, there is a good kind of emotional eating! Improve your attitude naturally with mood boosting snacks full of “good fats” and omega 3’s such as nuts and fish. Grab some dark chocolate like Lindt or Pana chocolate that are 80% or more cacao, and give yourself a serious serotonin boost.
Have a laugh
Laughter, a good meal and/or cheeky glass of wine with a friend are often just what the doctor ordered (if I were a doctor that’s what I’d order – but I’m not so don’t sue me!) But seriously – don’t isolate yourself when you’re feeling down and out. Have a good old vent and laugh about it. That’s what friends are for, right?
Pump up the jam
Rihanna, Beyoncé and Britney – you feel me? Put your iPod on and turn it up LOUD! Interpretive dance your butt off, break a sweat, shimmy and sing at the top of your lungs. There’s a reason Taylor Swift wrote a song called ‘Shake It Off’, people. So get moovin’ – think Cameron Diaz in Charlie’s Angels #cheaptherapy