Having A Bad Day? 3 Proven Strategies To Turn It Around

So You’re Having A Bad Day…

It happens to all of us at some point. No one is immune from waking up sometimes on the wrong side of the bed, feeling cranky, down, depressed, tired, or just a little out of sorts. Mood changes are a natural part of being human. What isn’t natural is to let it control your life and to remain in this depressed state for long periods of time. For most of us, unless there is a medical diagnosis of depression or other mood disorder, these episodes are just occasional and short-lived. However, if you are anything like us, the sooner you can get out of the funk you are in, the better off  you are, because there is a lot that you want and need to get done and it sure would feel better if you were doing it with a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

Let’s Get You Out Of That Mood…

There are three steps that you can take immediately when you feel like you are in a funk that will help you to overcome it quickly and get on with your day in a productive, positive manner. Negative moods and thoughts, steal our precious energy from us, decreasing our productivity, energy, and efficiency. So let’s get started…

1.) Eat a Healthy Snack

Blood sugar levels play a huge role in our mood. Many times we have experienced a decrease in our blood sugar, causing us to feel irritable, depressed, tired and grumpy. You may not even feel hungry, so this solution probably hasn’t crossed your mind. It is best to get a snack that is healthy and going to stick with you for a while. Try to eat fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds or other proteins, or a whole grain that is not processed. This is important because you want something that is a low Glycemic Index food. The reason this is important is that with high Glycemic Index foods (bread, pasta, sweets) your blood sugar will spike quickly, releasing high levels of insulin, causing your blood sugar to plummet again in just a short amount of time, leaving you grumpy again.

2.) Reset Your Thoughts

Negative thoughts can steal our energy and it is very easy to get caught in a negative thought cycle that you can’t seem to break out of. Immediately, stop what you are doing and become silent in your mind. Enter into the present moment and notice everything around you, using all of your senses. What do you see, hear, smell, feel? Do you hear birds chirping, is the sun warm on your skin, is there a breeze blowing, do you smell food cooking, are you sitting in a comfortable chair…NOTICE EVERYTHING. Once your mind is clear, repeat over and over in your head, “Everything is always working out for me.” Do this for 2 – 3 minutes until you feel the stress release, all the while, staying present in the moment and noticing your surroundings. Then think of 3-5 things you are grateful for and write them down. Writing them down helps you to see all of the good in your life. Keep an ongoing list of these things and you can always reference them anytime you are feeling down. It will bring you back to a place of gratitude and remind you that life isn’t so bad after all.

3.) Get Up and Move

This can be very counterintuitive when the only thing you want to do is crawl back in bed, but it is quite possibly the best thing you can do. Exercise is known to produce feel-good hormones that will change our mood in an instant. Most of the time when we don’t feel like moving, that is the best medicine for us. If you can get outside to do this, even better. Go for a walk, hike, jog or do your circuit outside. Being in nature is proven to reduce our stress levels and elevate our mood. Get moving for at least 15 minutes, longer if you can do it and when you get done, you will feel like a new person. Feel free to continue using your affirmation “Everything is always working out for me” while you are exercising to keep those pesky negative thoughts at bay.

In Conclusion…

So that’s it, it’s that simple. Eat a healthy snack, reset your thoughts and get up and move. Next time you are feeling down and out, try this simple 3 step routine and you will be back on track in less than 30 minutes. Trust me, it is 30 minutes well spent because you will lose more than 30 minutes of productivity if you stay in your funk all day. Productivity plummets when you are stuck in a negative thought pattern, tired, irritable, depressed, angry or grumpy. Take control back of your day!

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