7 Sneaky Things That Mess With Your Mood Every Day

Don’t be that person.

The one that everyone tip-toes around until they know what kind of mood you’re in today.

Inconsistency in your mood can be a sign of some bigger issues and can not only impact your relationships and happiness but also your success.

If you’ve been trying to file down the pointy edges of your behavior and become a master of your mood, consider why the erratic switches occur.

You’re not sleeping well

Poor sleep or lack of enough sleep can wreak havoc on your mood and mindset. And it doesn’t take much to send your mood into a tailspin.

The good news? It’s fixable.

University of Pennsylvania researchers found that subjects who were limited to only 4.5 hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. When the subjects resumed normal sleep, they reported a dramatic improvement in mood

Worse yet, difficulty sleeping is sometimes the first symptom of depression. Studies have found that 15 to 20 percent of people diagnosed with insomnia will develop major depression

Even more reason to respect your sleep routine and remain consistent.

When you rest, you catch your breath and it holds you up, like water wings — Anne Lamott

You don’t have a routine

Routines give you the ability to function somewhat on autopilot so you’re not overloaded with making decisions about every little thing you do.

They are important because:

They keep you on track-even small daily activities like showering or making coffee, when done in a regular routine keep you operating from a sense of control, rather than becoming antsy.
Structure gives you strength-you can feel more confident about how your day will unfold when you have a routine. It frees your mind and keeps you clear on the tasks of the day so there are no real surprises. You know what’s going to happen so you’re empowered.
You have a clear start and end-Having a routine in place for your day can make you feel a sense of accomplishment. Knowing when you begin and end helps you get to the finish line with focus. This doesn’t allow for any mood swings to creep in due to ambiguity with your timeline.

You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. — John C. Maxwell

You avoid or bury unpleasant situations

Why wouldn’t you want to avoid unpleasant things?

Avoidance is actually the body’s natural response to stress. If you’ve made up your mind to bury or avoid a situation, everything you do is impacted, especially your mood.

Easy things become more difficult and that leads to frustration, which then, in turn, leads back to more avoidance. It’s a vicious cycle.

Remember that avoiding hard things doesn’t improve or solve anything. On the contrary, it keeps those things front and center and top of mind. Always.

The best solution is to face your emotions and deal with the hard things in the moment. As difficult as it may seem, it’s easier in the long run and before you know it, it’s behind you…not buried.

You don’t practice self-care

Practicing self-care can seem like a “do it when you can” action in your life. The truth is, it’s one of the most impactful ways to keep your mood and emotional health steady.

• Take care of your body. Eat good, clean foods that nourish you, move your body daily, get fresh air, and have a couple of activities that you turn to consistently. A hobby, sport, or enjoying the outdoors and getting some fresh air all help you reset your mind and keep the emotional snowball at bay.
• Know your financial story- Don’t ignore your finances. Have a budget and stick to it so money worries aren’t part of your daily routine. Plan your expenses, set up auto payments, and save or invest consistently. Money or the lack of is one of the most common worries. Don’t avoid knowing your money situation, and be in control of your money situation rather than reacting to it.
• Maintain social interactions: Having a regular routine for being with family or friends helps keep you in harmony. When you don’t balance your life by interacting with others or nurturing your relationships, it’s easy to stay in your head, focused on your problems. Instead, set aside time every week for a date night, family dinner, or drinks with friends. It can be very calming.
• Be generous: Expand your sights beyond your circle of friends and family by helping others when you can. Donate your time to a good cause, support a friend in need by offering your time so they can get a short reprieve. Be a kind ear and offer to listen when you notice that someone is having a rough time. Studies suggest that generosity has anxiety decreasing effects. It’s a win-win.
• Don’t go down the slippery slope: Be aware of any red flags when it comes to your own emotions. Are you feeling depressed, having difficulty sleeping, or feeling overly emotional? Watch for those signs and make sure you have a person you can talk to to help you before things get too far. Consistent thought work and conversation with a therapist or coach will keep things from getting out of hand.

You do a lot of negative self-talk

Be nice to yourself, you’re always listening. Being self-critical or consistently down on yourself can have a devastating impact on your mood and well-being. Rather, start the day with quiet reflection and allow yourself a clean slate to start the day. If yesterday was rough, remind yourself that today is a new day and you have the ability to make it a good one.

Negative self-talk can lead to an inability to see or be open to new opportunities, as well as a decreased tendency to capitalize on these opportunities. Instead, try imagining yourself saying these thoughts to a child or loved one. Chances are, the realization that you’d never do that to anyone you care about will stop you in your tracks and get you to a more loving place.

You hold on to the past

It’s not easy letting go of past trauma, guilt, or regret, but living in the wake of those feelings will certainly impact your daily mood and well-being. If you’re going to live a fulfilling life, a first step will always be the effort to move on from the painful past.

While it’s easier said than done, there are a few tips to help get you there.

Commit to letting the feeling go. Once you make the decision to do this, it will empower you. Allow yourself to feel those feelings without trying to “fix” or tamp them down is how to start. Whether it’s in your personal journal, with a friend, or a therapist, find a safe place to reveal your feelings and commit to finally letting them go.

Admit and own your part. This can be hard if you’ve committed to a certain story about the painful past, but it’s cleansing. If you fully own how you feel and how you may have played a part, then it’s yours to solve and move away from. As long as you determine that someone or something else is responsible and that you’re helpless, it isn’t yours to fix. That keeps you stuck, reliant on an outside force to fix it, and keeps you in a state of flux. Own your part and take responsibility.

Forgive yourself. It’s time. The burden of the past is too much to carry with you every day. Once you can safely and honestly admit your part and take responsibility, you must get to forgiveness. When we know better we do better, so practice some self-compassion and give yourself some grace for what has burdened you no matter who was at fault. It’s time.

Your past is like a bag of bricks; set it down and walk away. Quit collecting every painful word, memory and mistake. Collect hope. — Bryant H. McGill

You don’t live your personal core values

It’s easy to become frustrated and moody in your life when you don’t feel like you’re living a life of purpose. When you forget about your personal core values and allow other things to fill your days and your head, you will get off track before you know it, leading you to a state of unease.

If family time is important to you, then staying at work late most nights will start to chip away at what you deem as an important pillar of your life and happiness.

If you need to have time each week for your own creative pursuits, but they always get pushed aside because you say “yes” to things you shouldn’t, you’ll begin to not only resent people for asking but feel out of balance because you haven’t fed that passion.

Keep focused on what matters and commit to those values. Guard them with your life so you can stay happier and feel more connected to your true values.

Mastering your mood can be a continual work in progress, and that’s okay. What matters is your self-awareness and ability to feel what you’re feeling and identify the cause.

Don’t underestimate the value of rest, structure, positive self-talk, letting go of the negativity of your past, and caring for yourself physically and emotionally.

You can be the master of your mood. Start today.

🎉 P.S. More grown-up real-talk🔥 🎧 The Badass Midlife Podcast 🎧

🎉Hey, my friend! If you like reading stories like this and you’d like to support me, why not sign up for a Medium membership? It’s only $5 a month and you’ll be able to access all the writers on Medium! 🙌🏼

I’ll earn a small part, but if you’d rather just stay updated when I write a new article, ✅ sign up here for my free newsletter.

—

Previously Published on medium

You Might Also Like These From The Good Men Project

Compliments Men Want to Hear More Often

Relationships Aren’t Easy, But They’re Worth It

The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex

..A Man’s Kiss Tells You Everything

—

Photo credit: Shutterstock