Are you getting annoyed by small things? Feeling extra impatient? Having more negative thoughts than usual? It’s okay - it’s only a bad mood. However, you have the power to help it pass normally without letting it ruin your entire day. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to handling a bad mood.

Accept Your Bad Mood.

First, don’t fight the feeling. It might feel like everything outside of you is going wrong, or it’s just a day where the world is against you. Understand that that’s not really the case and say to yourself, “I’m just in a bad mood. It’s normal and it will pass.”

Make Excuses For Yourself.

It’s not important to understand why we feel everything we do. That said, give yourself a break. An explanation might point to a solution. If you haven’t been getting enough sleep or feel as though you should eat something, it’s fine to blame a bad mood on that. Just avoid making dramatic or negative judgments against yourself over something that happens to everyone. 

Do Something Centering. 

Here’s where your singing bowl comes in. Now, everything might be annoying to you right now, and we’ve already established that you’re not in a good mood. Fortunately, singing bowls work whether you feel like playing one or not. 

You can be gritting your teeth and rolling your eyes the entire time, and those otherworldly, resonant tones will still be working on your parasympathetic nervous system. Try a few deep breaths while you play, too.

Create a New Plan. 

You don’t have to go about the rest of your day as planned if it’s keeping you in a bad mood. After all, bad moods can hurt our productivity and put a damper on social interactions. If there are elective activities you’re not looking forward to now, consider rescheduling. 

If you have no choice, at least give yourself a good fifteen to twenty minutes to reset and blow off some steam - listen to some music, go for a short, brisk walk, or take a quick nap. 

Facts Only.

Is it okay that as an adult, you still have a tantrum sometimes? Yes. As you proceed with your day, mindfully spot times where you’re projecting your bad mood onto others or catastrophizing. 

Sticking with the truth will let your bad mood pass more quickly since you aren’t allowing yourself to get wrapped up in little white lies your crabby mood is telling you. 

Talk To Someone. 

When is a bad mood just a bad mood, and when is it something more serious? It’s an important question you should take the time to answer. If your “bad mood” seems to last weeks, or you feel short-fused nearly every day, make an appointment with a physician or counselor. If it happens to be that you’re depressed, or your lifestyle needs restructuring, professional help is best. 

What do you think of this guide to handling a bad mood? How do you know when you’re in a bad mood, and what do you do to lift your spirits? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments.