Since I’ve been posting this week about the positive psychology of bad moods, i.e. what to do if you’re in a bad mood… the question is:
Q: What do you do to get out of a bad mood?
My answers are in the comments section, and I’m very interested in what your answers are!
S.
To get out of a bad mood, I
* Call my friends
* Go for a walk, especially when I don’t want to
* Go hiking – this is the best solution
* Take a kickboxing class
* Take a long shower
* Take a long nap
* Listen to good music
* Play the guitar
* Read something funny on the internet
* Get into some fiction book
(Those are the productive things I do… there are unproductive things too, and I am moving away from them.)
A long run (sweat out the poisons, exhaust the body, relax the mind). Funny movies – no heavy stuff (e.g., Young Frankenstein, Airplane, South Park Movie, anything by the Marx Brother, old Woody Allen comedies, ….etc).
The quickest and easiest method I know is to consciously change your breathing. Does not matter to what, but I usually use very slow and deep.
Depending on the mood, it might take one breath, or maybe as many as 30.
Hmmm I suppose I should try all of the above suggestions: I’m an expert in wallowing.
@Scott: have you tried animated movies? I love Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ice Age, etc. They’re great fun & not heavy. And no, I don’t have kids, and yes, I’m over 30 and not embarrased to like Finding Nemo :-)
Scott, 100% agree with you on a long run.
Michael, you are so right. Have you ever checked http://www.authentic-breathing.com? Such a great site.
Grim, hi! No wallowing allowed unless you want to wallow! That’s what the past few days have been about with the posts about how to get rid of bad moods. :)
Scott and Grim, agree with you guys on good movies doing it. (Grim, do you like the Shrek movies? I’m a BIG fan.) I don’t love it as much when movies are more time-wasty. That’s why it’s great to have recs for funny movies.
Rockin’. Great weekend to all you guys!
p.s. I had remembered that I’d once asked a similar Friday Question. Remember, one time there was this question on good moods? Here it is: “What questions do you ask yourself to get in a good mood?“
Oh yeah, I *love* Shrek too. Great feel-good movies, eh? Oh and yes, I know wallowing is bad, bad, bad. It’s a habit I should really kick, but it’s hard you know?
I do everything Senia lists, except the things I can’t do, like play the guitar. I don’t hike very much either but I love to walk on a flat surface. Here are a couple of others:
1. Play with my dogs or cry with my dogs. After a little tear or two, the bad mood goes away.
2. Do a crossword or sudoku.
To get out of a bad mood, the first thing I usually think of is: go for a walk. Unless you get hit by a car like Stephen King, it almost always works.
And then of course, part of the effectiveness of taking a walk is breathing.
I’m currently reading Thich Nhat Hanh’s “The Miracle of Mindfullness.” He has a lot to say about the importance of *correct* breathing; and he wonders how incorrect breathing has ruined many peoples lives.
About the breath he says: “Our breath is such a fragile piece of thread. But once we know how to use it, it can become a wonderous tool to help us surmount situations which could otherwise seem hopeless.”
Grim, it can be hard… how could you make it an EASY habit to break? What new habit could you aquire to replace the old habit?
Lisa, AGREED on doing a puzzle of some sort! Like we talked about, it sucks your attention in so much that it’s effective to get your mind off the bad mood. Kind of like I was suggesting to Grim, actually – what could we replace the bad mood with? How about something that completely activates our brain – like puzzles?
Steve, thanks for the healthy-focused ideas – walking, breathing… neat quote about breathing: “a fragile piece of thread.” Sounds like a good book. Thanks!
I’ve tried to kick the wallow-habit by approaching things more positively and constructively; however, when I wallow it is usually coupled with a rather negative and cynical mood. Try and tell a cynic to go for a walk to get out of a bad mood…you can imagine the inner-dialogue I have at that point. (And I do love to go for walkies)
I’ll have to think about a replacement that I won’t reject when the moment comes. Thanks for the suggestion though, I will get my mind stewing on it. :)
Actually, I don’t know why I didn’t realise this sooner, I do do something, when I can, to get out of a bad mood: I write on my blog. The writings often tend to be a tad sad or morbid even, but it’s like it’s poison I have to get rid of somehow…That reminds me of something I once read about Stephen King, I think he said he wrote to get rid of all the nasty thoughts in his head and that if he didn’t write he’d go nuts. Unfortunately, I don’t always have time & energy to sit down and write.
My husband used to take me for a drive, back when we still had a car. I just *love* sitting on the passenger seat and being driven. Radio on, scenery passing by…it’s like you’re in a cocoon. Still love it, no longer have a car here though.
I’ll stop hogging your comments section now…
Grim, it’s not in the least hogging, and even if it were, hog away! That’s very cool that you write on your blog when you’re in a bad mood – many famous singers have done that and have come up with wonderful dark songs. And the cocoon riding in a car is neat – maybe you guys can rent a car one day and just go somewhere for the day. Good about having an activity – like blogging out the bad mood, and then maybe immediately after blogging going for a walk – how does that sound?
Funny you should add that, about the walking. Lately my husband and I have been going out for lots of walks despite the weather being awful and wet here (Netherlands). Once you’ve accepted that you’re going to get wet but decide to enjoy the walk regardless, it’s no longer a problem. And there’s something nice about coming in from the rain and rugging up on the couch to get warm again. :)
Cooooooool about the weather-regardless enjoyment of the walks!