How to Break Out of a Bad Mood

Sometimes I find myself in a straight up bad mood and I HATE feeling that way. Generally I think (and hope) I'm a pretty agreeable, cheerful person, but sometimes stress wears on me or PMS kicks my butt. Obviously no one wants to be around me when I'm grouchy, and I highly dislike myself for it too, so I try to break out of a bad mood as quickly as possible! Here are some tips I swear by:   

Set Aside a Day or at Least an Evening for Yourself

With my busy schedule and ongoing guilt about downtime this is hard for me to do, but sometimes it’s just essential. Beyond sleep, our bodies and minds need time to simply rest. To just "be." A little self care and relaxation go a long way! If I’m having an anxiety-ridden day or week, I’ll try to set aside an evening where I don’t open my laptop and simply eat dinner, read or watch TV, put on a face mask, and just rest.

Schedule a Workout

When I’m grumpy, anxious or tired the last thing I want to do is workout. I usually want to curl up on my couch under a blanket and binge-watch TV. And while that’s definitely okay and even healthy to do sometimes (see above), most of the time I know I would be better off doing a workout first. Almost always once I’m working out the endorphins and sense of accomplishment kick in, and I feel SO much better about myself.

Don’t Hold it in

I’m definitely guilty of bottling up my stress and emotions because I don’t want to burden anyone...but then that can end up in an anxiety attack or tears later on. Not the best way to go about things! Sometimes we do need a little bit of outside encouragement or to just talk things out. This is when I talk to Trey or call my friend Jo or my mom.

Soak up Some Vitamin D and Fresh Air

Sometimes a sunny day can completely turn my week around, and I thrive off of Vitamin D (while also protecting my skin). Sometimes a quick walk or just sitting outside is super calming and positive. Often when I get super stressed at work I take a walk down the block and back while doing some deep breathing, and it helps me so much! Take a few minutes to let the sun warm your skin and take some deep breaths of fresh air, all while getting off of your phone for a bit!

Listen to Music or Podcast

Sometimes my “relax” playlist or a funny podcast episode are just the distractions I need to break out of a bad mood. Or heck, sometimes I need to blast some rap music through the house and dance like an idiot! Whatever it takes!

Eat Some Mood-Boosting Foods

Food can absolutely affect our moods and how we feel! Some amazing mood-boosting foods include nuts, fish, berries, leafy greens and colorful vegetables, and my favorite...dark chocolate!

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