Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I can sometimes be the queen of mood swings. My poor family. I just get in these weird funks sometimes, and I am not always the best at handling too much on my plate. Stress and me do not mix very well. Over the years, I have learned some tricks to snap myself out of a bad mood though and I figured I would share them

1. Horses

Like most horse people, riding is an immediate mood lifter. Grooming is also. There is something so calming about running a brush across a horse’s back. Pets and snuggles are also great. And sometimes I just go an sit in their pasture and watch them graze. Just being in their presence gives me peace.

2. Exercise

Of course working out helps to get my mind off of whatever is bothering me. Going for a run, playing a workout video, getting on my yoga mat all help lift my mood. Getting moving clears my mind, and it feels good!

3. A Favorite TV Show

I am not very into to watching the latest Netflix hits. I tend to watch the same series’ over and over again. But there is something about watching a favorite show that just makes me feel happy. It’s like visiting with an old friend. It is also not quite as easy to get completely sucked into a show that I have already seen, which could become a major time drain.

4. A Deadline

I have had days where I have told myself, “okay I am going to grumpy until [whatever time].” Sometimes it’s okay to just be in a bad mood. We don’t have to be positive, and happy go lucky all the times. That is not realistic. Life has many ups and downs, and our mood can go along with it. We just can’t stay in a negative place forever. So, give yourself some time to mope if you need to. Then, when your time is up pick yourself up and move on.

5. Go Outside

Maybe you don’t have your horse in the backyard, but just being outside is a major mood lifter. Take a walk. Stop and smell the flowers. One of my favorite ways to cheer myself up is to go on a walk around sunset. Watching a sunset somehow just puts things into perspective and reminds me that everything is going to be okay.

I hope some of these tips help!! Bad moods happen, but we do not have to stay stuck in them!