How To Be Happy: (Arrest Your Bad Mood)

“At first, I only laughed at myself. Then I noticed that life itself is amusing. I’ve been in a generally good mood ever since.”
~  Marilyn vos Savant

Post written by Kevin Tyler Smith. Connect with me on Twitter or by Facebook. I enjoy meeting people.

Have you ever been unhappy or in a bad mood but you just didn’t know why? A bad mood can drastically affect your day in a negative way as well as the day of those around you.  Studies show there is actually a reason that is fueling your bad or angry mood.

Believe it or not, it is associated with your goals.  To be more specific, it is your non-conscious goals.  They can change your mood and your performance.

Tanya Chartrand, assistant psychology professor at the Ohio State University researched extensively the impetus behind bad moods.  ”If you succeed at a goal you didn’t know you had, you’re in a good mood and you don’t know why,” she states.  ”But if you fail at a non-conscious goal , you’re put into this negative mystery mood.”

In reality, we all have non-conscious goals, whether at home, work, with friends and in the community. Let’s use dining in a restaurant for example.  You may have designs on eating healthier, maybe pass on the steak and eat a salad instead, or replace the french fries with vegetables.  If your well intentions lose the battle to your weakness and you end up with steak and fries on your plate and a dessert instead, you could end up feeling bad (figuratively speaking of course).  Later you may attribute your bad mood to going out to eat.

Your conscious goals become non-conscious over time and are triggered every time you go to a restaurant.  When you fail at your goal, you will fall into a bad mood.

“We are succeeding and  failing at non-conscious goals all the time,” says Chartrand.  ”Research is beginning to show how this affects our moods, the way we perform and the judgments we make about others.  It’s incredibly important.”

Fortunately, there are ways you can actually turn your frown upside down almost immediately.  Following are eight habits to improve your bad mood and reclaim a more optimistic and more positive outlook.

Eight Quick Habits To Arrest Your Bad Mood….Starting Today

1. Treat yourself – Reward yourself once in a while. There is nothing more gratifying than indulging yourself with some much needed treats. Get a makeover from your favorite salon or buy an ice cream treat that you were craving for all week, just as long as it is something that you want for yourself.

2. Song – Music has an enormous impact on the mind and your mood. Music can successfully be used to alter one’s mood.

3. Sun and movement – Certain hormones such as dopamine, endorphins and serotonin can improve a mood to a great extent. These hormones are released through exercise and exposure to the sun.

4. Hang out with your friends - Don’t underestimate the power of your friends to get you out of a bad mood. Whenever you feel a bad mood stirring about, allow your friends to get you back in a better mood. They are usually able to turn things around in a jiffy.

5. Laugh it out - Although laughing out loud alone might seem like a weird thing to do,  letting out a good laugh every time you are in a bad mood can actually help improve your disposition, even if it is a fake one. No one can let out a good laugh and continue to be in a bad mood.

6. Meditate and relax - Going into some form of meditation can help restore a more relaxed state and thereby relieving yourself of any tension that you might be experiencing. You can do this by simply giving yourself some time to mellow down and relax, such as counting from 1 to 10 whenever your mood is sour or by deliberately setting aside some “personal” meditation time for yourself during your day.

7. Vent it out - Keeping your emotions bottled up inside isn’t a good idea, as this will only exacerbate the negativity. Find a good friend who will give the time to listen to you regarding what it is thats putting you in such a bad mood.

8. Distract yourself – Simply forget about your problem by doing some activities that will change your focus. Go out for a nice walk or read a book. There are many things you can do, just find something that you love doing and you will forget your troubles in no time.

Ultimately, be cognizant of your mystery bad moods.  They could bring forth awareness of some beneficial non-conscious goals.  Just knowing that much could help resolve your bad or angry mood and help your journey back to a state of happiness on the fast track.

Don’t you think it’s time to give priority to your own good mood and happiness? Just remember that being in a bad mood not only affects you, but everyone else around you as well, so make sure that you take charge of your happiness, and change your mood from bad to good. You will thank yourself later.

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