Overcoming a Bad Mood | Inspired Homemaking
Sharing a day of overcoming a bad mood and some ways that might help you overcome a bad mood so that you can be the homemaker you aspire to be.
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You ever wake up, and it’s just one of those days? By this I mean the ones where you stumble out of bed, and as the morning goes, something is just off. Maybe you realize you’re out of coffee or stub your toe on your way to the bathroom, and things spiral from there. Well, I didn’t run out of coffee, and thankfully my toes are stub free for the moment. But for whatever reason, my day became more frustrating as it went on.
I began cleaning for the sake of cleaning thinking this would somehow save me from the moodiness I could feel deep in my being. A temporary fix, surely, but not a bad way to distract myself. After all, I’d rather sit in a clean home with my bad attitude than a dirty one.
As they say, the cherry on the sundae was when the phone rang just after getting ready to leave. Turns out my plans for the day were canceled, which perfectly matched the mood I was in. I sat in my comfy chair (yes, I have one). It’s old, worn, and about the best freebie I have ever stumbled upon.
As I sat there in my frustration, my eyes fell on a few peaches that needed to be used sitting on the countertop. Something struck me. My mood was impacting our evening, and I had two options. I could continue down the path of a bad day, throw in the towel, so to speak, and decide on heating leftovers for dinner. I could keep my bad mood, and that would be that.
Or I could gather my energy and put those peaches to use. I could decide to make a lovely meal instead of those leftovers and sit out on the patio enjoying the gorgeous weather we have been blessed with.
Fortunately, I chose the latter.
Something you must know is, is that I love to bake. Especially on a pretty day when it’s cool enough to have the windows open. I threw on my apron, opened the windows, and began slicing the peaches. It wasn’t automatic, but slowly my mood began to change. It wasn’t me avoiding my feelings but rather doing something that I wanted to do at a time I needed to do it. Something that offered more than my usual to-do list.
As my hands worked, I had this idea that each time I felt in that horrible mood, I would decide to do something that gave me instant joy. Something I realize is easier said than done especially if you are going through difficult times. But even if that is the case, that doesn’t mean you have to stick to a bad mood. In fact, I would argue that the bad mood just makes all the difficulties that much worse to deal with.
Intentional Joy
Yes, true joy comes from within, and I would suggest getting deeply rooted in the Lord before doing anything else if you struggle with this sort of thing. However, the joy I am speaking of today is not what I mean here. I am speaking of those external joys that are found in our daily experiences and through things that give us delight. Things like hobbies we love, improving our spaces, or sharing a delicious meal with a loved one.
In life, we must choose to seek out joyful moments and create a life of them. The ability to do so even when in a bad mood can be somewhat of a superpower. If we can decide, even in our most frustrated state to be joy seekers, we win.
Why Our Moods Matter
It is no secret, as homemakers, our moods impact everyone and everything in our households. Like a trickling effect, it runs right down from me to my daughter and my home. When in a sour mood, I am not so inclined to make things nearly as cozy or inviting. If I take an honest look at myself, I am likely not as approachable or pleasant to be around.
This is precisely when I need to remind myself of the mother and homemaker I strive to be. Taking a hard look at ourselves in those moments can sometimes snap us out of it and other times not. As overcoming a bad mood is easier said than done. But instead of just discussing our bad moods, I want to give you some ways that might help you improve yours.
Ways to Improve a Bad Mood
Even the happiest of people certainly get into bad moods on occasion or experience funks. From my experience, these things seem to sneak up on you too. One day we can feel on top of the world, and the very next, we feel unmotivated and have negative feelings toward ourselves or others. Sometimes while in these sorts of moods, it can seem like everything we do in a day goes wrong.
It is a yucky feeling, to be sure, and one I know none of us like dealing with them. Although they are fewer and further between for some of us, they are hard to avoid altogether. However, having a healthier perspective and a go-to move might help you the next time your feeling this way. The first is to decide to put your well-being above anything else you might have next on your to-do list.
This is where you literally have to pencil yourself in for an attitude check. Here are some things you might decide to try when overcoming a bad mood:
- Go for a walk
- Find a craft or project you enjoy
- Bake a treat
- Listen to music
- Have a cup of tea in a pretty tea cup and read (or look) at a book
- Declutter a space in your home (its productive and gives a boost of positivity when finished)
- Journal your feelings
- Meditate
- Take a hot bath
- Write down what you are grateful for
- Watch an inspiring YouTube video from your favorite channel
- Sit with your pet
- Talk with a friend
- Work in the garden
- Pray and/or read the bible
I also tend to try warding off bad moods by having a regular practice of creating daily joys, and in this blog post, I share 11 Small Practices for Daily Joy that might help you do the same.
Final Thoughts
Overcoming a bad mood can be tricky, and it might take time to find what works. The decision to make ourselves a priority is just that, a decision we make. It is not at all selfish to do so, and in fact, it is quite the contrary.
Ensuring we are at our best allows us to serve others well and be the mothers/homemakers we all long to be. So the next time you rise to a bad mood, remind yourself of the homemaker/mother you wish to be and add something that brings you joy to your to-do list for the day.
It is not always easy to find joy when overcoming a bad mood, but it is always worth it.
Have a great week ahead!
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