Healthy Ways to Turn a Bad Mood Around, Part 4: Gratitude
You probably knew this one was coming: Gratitude
Redirecting your thoughts to the good things in your life will give your mood a lift. Giving thanks or “counting your blessings’’ is a very effective way to lift your mood.
One of the techniques that I practice is keeping a gratitude journal and being consistent in writing in it. And it’s a mood-lifter to review your past gratitude journal entries.
Writing down the things you are grateful for is even more powerful than just thinking about them because you all know how easy it is for our thoughts to wander off track. Writing makes it so much easier to keep our thoughts focused on those things for which we are grateful.
Along those same lines, with an added bonus, is to write a heart-felt note to someone letting them know how much you appreciate them.
Giving specific ways in which you are grateful for them makes it even better because you will truly brighten their day.
It’s hard to be grumpy and grateful at the same time so when you find yourself in a bad mood grab your pen and some paper and write down all the good that is present in your life right now.
I promise that you will feel better — maybe not “on top of the world” but definitely better than before.
Did you miss Parts 1, 2, or 3?
Here are the links:
Part 2: Take a Big Picture Perspective
Part 3: Identify Triggers and Plan for Future Situations
Share with me in the comments what your favorite healthy way is to turn a bad mood around!
