Question:
How many of your moods are caused by things around you? By others behaviour? By situations? By your expectations? By what you think is expected of you? By media?
Question:
Have you ever said, today whatever happens I am going to stay in charge of my mood? Today, I choose to be peaceful, patient and understanding… no matter what happens.
We can be in a positive or negative mood (state of mind). Consider: negative moods are reactions and originate from a thought, a feeling, belief, and attitude. Positive moods are responses and originate from a thought. Who is in charge of what we think?
Mood management is to take hold of the reigns of our mind; to determine our mood; to create it- it is just a thought away.
To do this we need to become aware of our thinking and choose to change it. We need to start consciously creating the right type of thoughts.
Exercise:
Try this: read these words and just note your inner reaction.
Lake. Late. Deadline. Rose. Blue. Shouting. Meadow. Smile. Knife. Cake. Rain. Sun. Boss. Green. Queue. Flowers. Mistake. Weekend. Crowds. Monday.
This is what the world is doing to us all day- it is all associations / something happened in the past and left an imprint on us about a particular thing.
Mood Management Essentials
Physical. Enough rest and a balanced and healthy diet are important.
A positive outlook. When something happens, for example, instead of asking ‘Why me?’, ask ‘What has this person / situation come to teach me?’
A stable point. Today’s pace of life is very fast. We are asked to respond rapidly and in turn we expect rapid responses. When things are happening so rapidly we need to find the still point at the centre to not be swept this way and then that way. Ask yourself ‘Who am I?’
Appreciate. Again, the fast pace of life often means we have no time to appreciate the beauty around us right now. Stop and see and appreciate whatever is beautiful, right and beneficial right now.
Accept. We cant control anyone or anything, the only thing under our control is ourselves. The trick is to be realistic and accept whatever is happening –we can’t change it– and look for the benefit it in.
Be present. There is no fear here in the present, it comes from associations from the past or fears about the future.
Beliefs. These are core to how we wake-up. If we believe ‘I am useless’ this is what we will attract. We need to make time to be with our self and time to see our own inherent worth and value. Then we can wake-up, have a thought and no-one will be able to take it away from us all day.
Good Wishes. The behaviour of others isn’t in our control. What is within our control? To have good feelings and wishes for them or not. When we start down the negative lane it isn’t possible to maintain a peaceful mood, it leads to doubt, confusion and distrust. Being positive and having good wishes isn’t to be passive it is to choose to remain peaceful and positive about others, to uphold the best in them.
Influence. We live in this world so we need to build an immunity to negativity, to not be influenced by it. We need to become complete observers – to see and accept whatever is happening without judgement (thought) – this is have a still and stable mind.
Successes. Note these as when we see the benefit we will want to do more.
Understand. When we react we re-enforce that pattern within ourselves. Instead pause, seek to understand what is going on and the deeper need. If someone / I am reacting with anger what is the real need that isn’t being meet here?
