Change your mood and life

Shaking a bad mood is important to functioning at your best. The worst thing you can do when you’re in a bad mood is wallow in it, according to Psychology Today.

Bad moods usually come from tension and low energy, according to the magazine. A short, brisk walk or some other exercise can increase your energy, reduce your stress and improve your mood. Listening to music may prompt you to remember a former good mood or good time and produce a conditioned response that makes you feel better.

Most people can manage to do one or both of those things. At least it’s a starting point.

My favorite way to lift my mood is to be around people who are happy. I love spending time with friends who are experts at seeing the silver lining in tarnished situations. One of those friends shared this marvelous story of a restaurant owner named Jerry.

One evening, Jerry accidentally left the back door of his restaurant unlocked. He was robbed by three armed men, who forced him to open the restaurant’s safe. As he tried to open it, the robbers panicked and shot him.

When he saw the faces of the emergency room staff, he realized how dire his situation was. The admitting nurse asked him if he was allergic to anything. “Bullets!” Jerry told them. “I’m choosing to live! Please operate on me as if I’m alive, not dead!”

Hearing Jerry’s story puts your bad days in perspective, doesn’t it? Every day you have two choices: You can enjoy your day or you can hate it. Take charge of your attitude, and life is easier.

Mackay’s Moral: Don’t let your mood turn into your doom.