I woke up this morning feeling like quite the grouch. I didn’t sleep well last night and just felt off when the alarm started blaring at 5 a.m.
Ryan and I drove to the gym and I couldn’t shake my bad mood until I was about halfway through my leg workout. Thankfully I am feeling much happier now and as trivial as it may seem, I think I can attribute my mood shift to Whitney Houston.
Any time her music comes on my iPod, I just want to dance and sing which makes it awfully hard to remain in a funk. When “I’m Every Woman” started blaring this morning, I had to smile. I used to listen to my grandmother’s copy of The Bodyguard soundtrack and sing my heart out to Whitney when I was a little girl, so the sound of her incredible voice always lifts my mood and makes me want to sing at the top of my lungs. (Fortunately for those at the gym this morning, I refrained.)
As I sat down to type up this blog post, I started to think about other ways I try to improve my mood when I’m not feeling like myself and can’t seem to shake a grumpy attitude.
Some of my go-to mood boosters:
- MUSIC. This is a big one for me. Music is so powerful and a catchy or nostalgic song can do wonders when it comes to improving my mood. When I worked at a job that made me absolutely miserable, Pandora was instrumental in making each day a little more bearable.
- Think about one thing I’m looking forward to in the coming week. By looking ahead toward something fun that is on the horizon, I almost always begin to feel excited for something in the future which makes the grumpy present not so bad.
- Get outside. If the weather is nice enough to venture outside, breathing in some fresh air helps me feel rejuvenated. Long walks with Ryan and Sadie are my favorite!
- Play with Sadie. Sadie is always joyful and always in the mood to play. It’s impossible for me not to feel happier when she is running around like a total nut job, trying to coerce me into yet another round of fetch.
- Call or text friends. My college girlfriends and I have an ongoing group text and they make me laugh and smile every single day. If I’m feeling like garbage, I know they will lift my spirits and make me laugh.
- Begin a new craft project. I really enjoy working on random craft projects, so starting something new, especially something that will end up being a gift for someone else, allows me to zone out and concentrate on a project that will hopefully make someone I care about smile, which makes me smile, too!
- Go for a run. “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy!”
- Bake something sweet. Making a sweet treat from scratch always makes me feel better! Who can be grouchy when they’re snacking on cookie dough?
Breakfast
Breakfast this morning began with coffee!
Add that to my list of instant mood-boosters!
While I sipped on my hot cup of coffee, I prepared a plate of scrambled eggs and a toasted whole wheat English muffin with strawberry jam for a sweet and savory breakfast.
Not too shabby!
Question of the Morning
- What is one thing you do to try to improve your mood on days when you’re feeling unusually grumpy?
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Love this list – especially the Legally Blonde quote!!! I think music is a big one for me. I also like to bake – totes agree that you can’t be grumpy when you are eating cookie dough. 😉
Love this post!! As sad as it sounds, my cat can always cheer me up! Along with watching TV shows with the BF – a little tradition of ours. I also grew up a huge singer, so going in the car and singing can always help me feel better!
Kim
http://trendkeeper.me
Going on a walk or just getting a breath of fresh air helps me immensely when I am in a grouchy mood.
Music is my go-to mood booster! I will blare Glee or Wicked and just sing at the top of my lungs!
I have coffee or nourish my body with some delicious healthy food. I take joys in the nature-y area where I go to college.
I think we all go through those type of mornings where things just aren’t where they usually are.
I always love to have a hot chocolate, talk to a friends, compliment someone else, or maybe even buy someone else’s coffee. Sometimes if I do something nice for someone else it makes me feel a lot better!
I try all those things you listed (except the play with dog part) when I feel like I’m in a slump.
Other things that work for me is community service (doing something for other people), online shopping, reading and giving myself a manicure or pedicure.
I love Whitney too because of my mom. She was so sad when she died.
Music, exercise, and being outdoors usually snap me out of a bad mood. I also love playing with my dog. Nothing like unconditional love. Hope you’re feeling a lot better now!
Some retail therapy generally helps but if all else fails I head to my sister’s house to see her, my niece, nephew & everyone’s favorite family member Bogart the German Shepard. No one lifts spirits like he does. He is a gigantic (literally, like 130 pounds) of love. He is such a goof ball & always cracks me up.
I’m right there with you on the music – a good song or two can easily turn a grouchy day into a bearable one. My sister and I loved The Bodyguard soundtrack as kids. At your mention of ‘I’m Every Woman’, I broke into a smile. Thanks for making my day a little bit brighter 🙂
I am having one of those days! Just turned on my Jack Johnson pandora station to beat the blues 🙂
turn on some pop music and have a dance party in my living room with the kids OR
go for a hard run and wear myself out 🙂
Thankfully I am usually in a good mood, but when I am not it is usually due to being tired or hungry. So I check out and rest or grab a healthy snack. I think finding the root to why I’m a grouch is key, and then solving it. Exercising always helps, which is why we do it daily 🙂
A good workout is definitely one of my go-to mood boosters, even just a short walk outside can be a really nice way to get my thoughts in order. Fun music is another one, there are a few songs that I cant help but sing along to.
I agree, music can make it all better! So can dogs 😛 I have two cuddly goofballs who can always cheer me up when need be!
Getting outside is a huge one for me. When the weather is nice, going out for a walk can make all the difference!
My girlfriends and I have an ongoing group text too. They keep me laughing, thats for sure!! And i love that we are able to keep in touch every day.
Music, some alone time and getting outside is the best way to shake a bad mood for me!
i like to take walks alone or call friends on the phone when i’m feeling grumpy 🙂 or workout – workouts always put me in a good mood!
Working out is huge for me — but during times like now where I’m minorly injured and cant do anything high impact, yoga has the power to completely change my grumpy mood 🙂
I would say going for a walk or run outside gets me back in a positive mood – I work a 9 to 5 job, so I try to get outside every lunch hour to give me a boost of energy to make it through the rest of the day 🙂
When I’m grumpy it’s usually because I’m tired or hungry. So usually I like to chug water and take a little nap! Does the trick just about every time!
Love the Legally Blonde reference!! I’ll play with my pup, light candles, and listen to some calming music when I need a mood boost. Also, meeting up with a girlfriend usually helps snap me out of it. When I’m at work and can’t do any of the above, I usually try to reframe my thoughts to be more positive and listen to music.
Hope you are having a better afternoon! Xo
Definitely exercise of some sort! Even if it’s just some ab work or random workout videos, I’m always happier after
Hi there! I hope you see and can reply to this comment, i know you get a lot of them! Tomorrow is my birthday and its the first time ill be having dessert in three years on my bday (Im in the last legs of recovering from orthorexia turned ana turned bulimia all with the underlying ortho). As a result ive really overdone it on sweets today (Smoothie for breakfast, HUGE chocolate bar all devoured by me, and baking and tasting brownies). I was just wondering if you ever really over do it? I feel like im the only one and doing it once even will make me gain a bunch of fat! You have such amazing commitment, self control and eat a very scheduled diet and i just wanted to know if someone like you ever did things like this? sorry for the novel of a comment. i really do love your blog
Music definitely helps me change my mood! Playing with puppies also really helps!
Music is definitely my mood booster! I love listening to my favorite cheesy music 🙂
I actually heard on the radio this morning that it’s national grouch day. (It’s also national boss day, but that doesn’t apply to your blog post.)
Hmm….I’m seeing a connection! Boss/Grouch……Hmmm!! 🙂
coffee and playing with my dog!
dogs always make me happy 🙂
I agree with the music – Whitney or Mariah – belting out their songs because obviously I know the words to just about every one of theirs! 😉
Also, sitting and watching some of my fav tv shows (talk shows, Real Housewives of____) gets me in a better mood….or helps me forget that I’m in a bad mood, rather! lol
-Sammy @ http://www.peaceandloveandicecream.com
Getting outside, ideally when the sun is shining and also spending time with my little niece. Never fails! Getting a hair cut or my nails done are the more expensive options.
(I’ve enjoyed reading the comments to see what other people suggest!!) 🙂
Baking and exercise are common mood-boosters for me. Whenever I can just “dial-out”, I feel so much better! Those are definitely my two favorite ways. But with exercise – there’s no better feeling than sweating it out, even if it’s only for 10-15 minutes.
Glad Whitney made you wanna dance with somebody!
Music always does it for me. I have a Songza station I love called, “C’mon get happy”, appropriate huh? It’s filled with cheesy old-timey music and I love it. Another thing that makes me happy? Happy hour with friends 🙂
Music is definitely a big one for me too! Talking with any of my family members is also a wondrous bad-mood-reliever. Exercise and endorphins are awesome too 🙂
Sometimes these days just happen, and it’s up to us to change them! It is challenging, but just thinking of positive t hings around me help change it!
Exercise, movies, and naps. Music doesn’t always work. Usually the nap helps because I’m grouchy from lack of sleep.
This song came on in the last few km’s of my half marathon and I loved it!!! Totally got a smile on my face and picked up the pace! hahah love it!
I love your phone case! Where is it from??
Zazzle.com!
I needed this post today! I came back from work in the worst mood, but I’m starting to feel better.
My cure is some music… usually loud and singing along at the top of my lungs to it. Also just spendinf some time alone to cool off usually helps too.
definitely a yoga class with a favorite instructor, or a beach run, followed by something yummy made by someone else :).
Thank you for this – I definitely had a day of waking up on the wrong side of the bed and haven’t seemed to totally shake it off. Thankfully, I got a WOD in for today and had a coffee date with one of my best friends. I’ll have to use some of your tips! I know when I have a funky/grouchy day, I try to take a little bit of time to do something for me…which is hard today because of school + homework + studying. Counting down the days until the end of the semester!
I can definitely relate to waking up in just a plain bad mood some mornings, especially after a not so great night of sleep. I’ve found that getting outside and moving always helps!
You have a great list of mood boosters. I especially like the music and baking. Whenever I a in a mood, I love to go to my room and watch my fave movies back to back (indecently one of which is The Bodyguard) and just be by myself. I prefer to stay away from people when I feel grouchy because I know I can snap at people and that’s not fair to them, hence the bedroom hibernation 🙂
I loved your post today! Especially reading the older post on the job that made you miserable – I could relate 100%. Working out and sleep are instant mood boosters for me. It was nice to hear that typically happy people have bad days too!
Hope your job situation improves soon!!
You made my day! I hadn’t read the post about your past job as a marketing manager but in this period of my life I need to read that post, really! I am in that same situation but I don’t have the strength of give up my current job. Thank you for your witness! Azzurra
I’m absolutely with you on the music being a mood booster! And The Bodyguard soundtrack? Classic! My mom used to let me and brother trade off what CDs we could listen to when we got ready in the morning. That was one, along with the Cocktail soundtrack and a good amount of Beach Boys…plus sometimes the Yentl soundtrack thrown in by my mom. We couldn’t always win!