War on War

I've been in an absolutely vile mood for most of the day and had a really hard time getting out of it. Then I found this online, and for some reason it made me smile.

How to Cheer Up

First, it's important to deal with the any initial feelings of denial, anger, guilt, and blame. Though these feelings are perfectly natural, they won't help you feel better. When something bad happens accept that it has happened. You don't have to like it, but accept it. Denial won't make it go away.

Though temporary negative moods may even be helpful in dealing with a bad event, they won't help you recover and move on with your life. But a positive attitude will help you move forward. Most of us recognize this, but we often have trouble finding ways to elevate to more positive moods and attitudes. Research studies show the following interventions will help.

Communication - In times of stress and anxiety, sharing your feelings with a supportive person helps to lift your spirits. The act of verbalizing what you're thinking and feeling is often enough to help you get past initial negative feelings.

Meditation - Meditation calms, energizes, and diminishes stress. Find a quiet place to sit comfortably and focus on breathing deeply and slowly. This basic meditation will help.

Exercise - Physical exercise calms the mind and redirects thoughts and energy away from worries and concerns. Take a brisk walk, tackle some housework, or go to the gym; any form of exercise will help cheer you up.

Three good things - Identify three good things that have happened in the last 24 hours. Even the most routine positive event is helpful in lifting your mood, such as a good meal, a safe commute to work, or a cheerful hello from a friend.

Gratitude letter - Take a few moments and jot down a brief note of gratitude to someone who has been helpful to you recently. Again, this need not be an extraordinary helpful gesture, but a kind word, a supportive presence, or a sincere attempt to cheer you up are worthy of your gratitude.

Acts of kindness - Providing a kind act toward someone else not only helps that person but lifts our spirits in return. So even though you might be feeling down, strive to do something kind and helpful to another person.

I guess this is all completely obvious, but I've found myself in a trap of bad moods for the past few days and this really helped me swallow my pride and snap out of it. I've been planning a longer post about why I've been so frustrated lately, as well as about why it scares me all to hell, but I just haven't had the heart to tackle it. So this was a good first step. I guess Spinoza was right in suggesting that understanding a certain emotion provides one with all the strength one needs to counteract it.

Sorry for such a boring read, my dears.