How to Embrace a Bad Mood

Sometimes we just aren't in the mood to smile.

It's been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad month for me. Why? No reason, really, other than your typical existential dread paired with antisocial feelings and a weighty boulder on my shoulder. Translation: I've been in a bad mood. Surprisingly, the worst part about my funk hasn't been the funk itself, but rather everybody trying to cheer me out of my funk. I realize that these would-be merry makers are only trying to help--but sometimes the best remedy for a bad mood is not to douse it with pep talks and forced grins--but to embrace it until the grim feelings burn out on their own. Let these steps inspire you to bring out the best in your next bad mood.

Things You'll Need

• A bad mood

Instructions

1. Know the difference between embracing a bad mood and burying yourself in a bottomless pit of negativity, cynicism and self-hatred. What is the difference you ask? When you embrace your bad mood you honor your grumpy, uncomfortable feelings as natural and essential and don't try to change your feelings with fake happiness. When you bury yourself in a pit of negativity you grab hold of your grumpy feelings, accept them as your sole reality and strengthen them with a steady flow of depressing thoughts and speak.

2. Put on an unhappy face. Don't turn that frown upside down into a smile. Don't grin and bare it. Remember, it takes a lot more energy to fake a happy expression than it does to simply allow your face to represent your true present temperament.

3. Tread lightly and speak carefully. When you're in a bad mood you're more likely to do or say something hurtful that you will regret when your spirit lightens. While you don't want to fake nice, you also don't want to take your low feelings out on innocent bystanders. Misery may love company, but company does not love misery.

4. Go inward. Now is not the best time to force chatting, laughing or socializing. Stay home. Cancel plans. Allow yourself some extra quiet time to cry, lay low and process any sad feelings you have.

5. Sigh, snap, explode, punch, flail, scream obscenities. But of course, do it all in private. I have found that the shrill crash of an F-bomb dropped from my lips while sitting alone in my car is the perfect accompaniment to a particularly fowl mood.

6. Hear what your bad mood is trying to tell you. Often a bad mood is an indicator that we need to make changes in our lives, whether that means changing careers, ending an unhealthy relationship, starting a new exercise routine or simply taking a nap.

Tips & Warnings

• If friends irritate you with their nagging cheer, tell them: "I appreciate your support, but I just need to be quiet right now."

• Moods change like tides. Don't get attached to one particular mindset. Let this mood wash over you like a wave and watch as it pulls back to the sea of emotions.

• When you do lose your temper (which you are bound to do occasionally) clear the air as soon as possible, otherwise your bad mood will permeate the world like a chain of dominoes demolishing goodwill.