Monday morning. A good mood on a Monday? On the way to work you will pass plenty of sleepy, glum faces, and even when you get to the office most of your colleagues are not in a good mood but hiding behind a big cup of coffee. A bad mood, though, is not tied to a particular time: it can happen anywhere and at any moment, and so ruin the whole day for you.
The problem: once your good mood is lost, it usually takes a long time to lift again. But with a few tricks it can be quicker, and you can get your good mood back in just 60 seconds ...
A good mood makes life better
A good mood is a truly universal emotional state, and one that most people today are after. The reason is as simple as it is plain: if you are in a good mood and, ideally, can hold on to it for a long time, this has a positive effect on every area of life.
First of all, you are happier and more content. Anyone who goes around in a bad mood from morning till night and always has something to complain about is doing themselves a disservice. Seeing only what is bad and negative, having every reason to complain, and the person sinks into self-pity.
A good mood makes for good contact with other people, a wider circle of friends and a better social structure overall. Imagine you want to sit down to lunch with a colleague so as not to eat alone. You can choose between a sullen, grumbling bear whose bad mood hangs about him like an aura, and a colleague with a friendly smile who radiates good spirits. It is not hard to guess where you will end up sitting.
Last but not least: a good mood helps you deal with problems and difficult situations. If you are in a bad mood, you are more likely to slide into pessimism. If you feel lousy, you assume everything will go wrong anyway, and that depends on your frame of mind; and if things really do go wrong afterwards, you will say that your first guess was right. A downward spiral, which in the worst case can even become a serious psychological burden.
A bad mood can get on other people's nerves
A good mood, as we know, is infectious. When you talk to a friend or a colleague who is in a good mood, you feel your own lift straight away, and you simply cannot resist that positive spirit. A bad mood is "catching" too, and it tells especially badly on sensitive people.
Unlike a good mood, its negative counterpart holds a great deal of potential for conflict. The key point here: when you are in a good mood, you do not want to let anyone else destroy it.
You are having a really good day, everything is going the way you hoped, you are happy and looking forward to what lies ahead. Suddenly a colleague in a bad mood comes up and starts complaining about everything, pointing out problems you had not seen before and simply talking everything down. No wonder it gets on your nerves, because someone is spoiling not only your good mood but possibly the whole day.
Why staying in a good mood can be hard
Unfortunately a good mood is very fleeting, and mood swings are possible from one moment to the next. Even small triggers can be decisive. And there are, sadly, quite a few of them.
The classic case is bad weather affecting our mood. Too grey, too many clouds, too much rain, too cold ... In the dark half of the year especially there is always something to complain about, and for many who long for a holiday by the sea the weather is a constant reason for a bad mood.
At work there is usually stress, and it does not make for a good mood. When tasks pile up, the overtime never ends and the job may not be the one you want, it tells on your mood. On top of that there can be disagreements with colleagues or anger at the boss.
Even in your free time and your private life it is not always easy to keep your mood up. You run into unexpected problems, something does not go to plan, you argue with your partner, or you simply focus on the wrong, negative things in your life.
Bad news, too, can put an end to a good mood in no time. It may concern you professionally or personally, or it may be general information that weighs on you and gives you pause.
How to get into a good mood right away
Your good mood can go quickly and, unfortunately, usually does not come back as quickly. There are a few tricks and tips that can give you your good mood back in just 60 seconds:
Listen to your favourite music
Music can have an enormous effect on your emotional state. We link memories and emotions to melodies and lyrics. If you want to get into a good mood quickly, put on your favourite music and focus on it completely. Let the music carry you away and give yourself over to the positive feelings the song brings up in you. You will feel your mood lift straight away.
Take charge of your thoughts
A bad mood has a great deal to do with your perception and your thoughts. The more you turn negative thoughts over in your head, the less chance your good mood has. You can avoid this if you focus your thoughts on positive things and events. Put aside whatever is bothering you and think, for example, of your last big success, or picture yourself reaching your current goal.
Use your facial expression and your body language
Lower your head and shoulders, drop your eyes or turn the corners of your mouth down. With body language and facial expressions like that you cannot feel in a good mood. In fact you can use these two levers to influence your mood deliberately. Even a fake smile, one there is no real reason for, can lift your mood quickly, because your brain registers the movement of the muscles and releases happiness hormones.
Answer a few questions for yourself
You can do something to keep your good mood by asking a few questions and answering them yourself. This is the so-called method of controlled thoughts. By asking questions you make yourself think about particular things, in this case positive ones. Such questions might include, for example: what am I really grateful for? What makes me happy? Who do I like having around me? Or what have I already achieved?
Laughter
Laughter is the best medicine. That goes for a bad mood too. To get your good mood back within 60 seconds, have a hearty laugh. It can be a joke, a funny situation, a funny picture or a video. The main thing is that it gives you a good time. After a short laugh the good mood comes back and you feel more relaxed.
