Your phone battery died so you could not get up on time. Now the kids are late for school and so are you. In the quest to reach a scheduled “important” meeting, you keep your foot on the accelerator, till you are pulled over by a traffic cop and handed a ticket. Most of us will consider these events as reasonable causes for us to be in a bad mood for a day or two; as challenges of daily life.

However, is it wrong to have a feeling of sadness or just a bad mood? Researchers do not think so,  according to a study titled “When bad moods may not be so bad: Valuing negative affect is associated with weakened affect–health links.” published in 2016. They tested 365 participants, ranging from 14–88 years of age, using reports of momentary negative affect and physical well-being. Their feelings (both positive and negative), along with their perception of their physical health at that moment, were recorded every day through various questionnaires.

After six weeks, the data obtained before the start of study was compared with that recorded  after the study’s  end. The subjects who considered negative moods as valuable and useful were noted to have less negative impact on their mental, emotional and physical health. Indeed, negative moods correlated with low life satisfaction only in people who did not perceive adverse feelings as helpful or pleasant. Being mindful of a negative mood, normalizing and accepting it will have less of a negative  impact on us. How can we achieve this?

Today, I am going to share with you some of the activities that I find useful when having a bad day.

Take a deep breath:

Not as a sigh or to show your frustration, but to relax. It has a calming effect and it helps you to set your mindset in the right direction.

Yoga/ meditation/ Exercise:

All have a similar comforting effect. There are many 5 minutes mindfulness tutorials out there that you can check. You can also find multiple tutorials with simple instructions for Yoga as well as exercise.

Watch a movie or a serial:

that you wanted to see. Choose something that is soothing and not overwhelming.

Call you dear ones:  

Sometimes connecting with someone close to you can uplift your mood.

Pamper yourself:

Pick something relaxing like a massage or a spa. You can also go shopping, but you should remember that the pleasure that you get from shopping may be short-lived and later you may be remorseful of spending your hard-earned money.

Take a walk:

Even a short walk, I am talking just about for five minutes, can help you to see the brighter picture and give you some strength in these testing times.

Read a book:

Pick something motivational or an interesting story which can take you into your world of imagination.

Cooking or crafting:

You can try a new recipe or make one of your signature dishes if you are into cooking.  Starting a new crafting project or just finding some inspirational ideas to do one is also generally helpful.

Listen to music:

Music has no language, yet it touches everyone’s heart. It has the power to make us cry even with the happiest number on the earth.

Memories:

With the evolution of technology, you don’t have to struggle to find the pictures you like from the heaps of photo albums and get more frustrated in the whole searching process. With so many cloud-based platforms, you can save and access your pictures with just a few clicks. The technology is so advanced that you can merely search for a face or location to find the picture that brings back your wonderful memories.

Gardening:

Like all the other activities mentioned above, gardening also has a generally positive effect on one’s mood.

Create a gratitude list:

As they say, when you get lemons in life, make lemonade. Instead of fixating on the things that aren’t going well in your life, remind yourself of everything you’re thankful for.

The key is to find the activity that’s right for you.  You can choose any one or more depending on your personal preferences or the resources available at that time. Whatever the situation, remember that this too shall pass.

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