How To Get Rid of A Bad Mood
How many of us, at times, feel completely at the mercy of our moods? I know that I was totally ill equipped for years in dealing with my own inner state, especially my variable moods that were evoked by being the mother of small children:) I wanted out and I wanted out badly. I no longer wished to be held captive by internal or external circumstances that would determine the type of day I would have. It is an exhausting and horrible way to live. I set the intention to take my power back, to own my moods and to RISE above them. But how? The answer is simple yet can be so difficult when we are held tightly by the grip of anger, shame, blame, or jealousy. The answer is to be with it.
This week, a particularly bad mood arrived at my doorstep. Not sure where it came and it honestly doesn’t matter. The secret to ridding yourself of a bad mood is to not try to rid it away all. Huh? Yes, just invite in and be with it. It is in our resistance that it persists. So here I was the past few days- inside I felt angry and grumpy. I witnessed these intense feelings and physical sensations (tight chest, short breaths). I also witnessed the metal garbage that went along with my mood. It is very interesting to see how our particular mood state fosters a certain state of mind. I saw that the way I was seeing things was from a tainted lens of anger and annoyance. I just noticed, did not judge, and to the best of my ability did not inflict my bad mood onto others (to the best of my ability – I am still human). It is important to note that I did not believe any of the garbage that was swirling around in my mind. I knew that it was only fueled by the fire inside.
Since I was aware that I was in the company of an unkind friend, it was important for me to take extra care of myself with proper sleep, meditation, and alone time. I didn’t wish it away or indulge it either. I actually was just with it. Knowing the impermanence of our feelings, I went along for the ride and allowed the feeling to eventually pass. No longer is the hold of my emotions so tight that I need to be engulfed by them and act on them. Instead, I can witness them and do my very best to welcome them in. As we face our unwanted parts, they are not so scary anymore. We all have a deeper and wiser capacity to rise above whatever decides to show up on our doorstep.
Even with my intense feelings, I choose to seek gratitude for my experience and use it as a way to deepen my ability to be with life as it is and not as I want it to be. I was able to empathize more with my patients who were also dealing with a bad case of the grumpy:) Everything that is presented to us is there for our deepening into who we already are. Helping someone else helps loosen the tight hold. Forgiveness also loosens the grip. I forgave myself, my thoughts and asked for forgiveness if I was unkind in anyway toward someone.
So next time you find yourself overcome by emotion, see if you can invite it in and just be with it. No need to analyze it, wonder when you will feel better, blame it on someone or something, just let it be and it will pass in time. This is easier said than done and needs to be practiced over and over again. I can’t urge enough the importance of a meditation practice. It builds the inner space that is absolutely necessary to be able to witness our physical sensations, feelings, and thoughts. Without that space, we can’t help but fall victim to our overwhelming moods.
My mood is passing on its own and I am fiercely carrying on moment-by-moment, breath-by-breath. We all have the capacity to transcend our bad moods and access of authentic self. This is the road to freedom.
