Normally, I am a very happy and optimistic person. However, it was yesterday evening I found myself in a bad mood. Why? I though about it. Why was I really in a bad mood, anyways? I thought about it some more. .  .it came down to something that was, for the most part, out of my control.

So, I decided to be proactive in the matter. I did what I could to solve the problem and told myself not to worry about it. Then, I distracted myself with something fun. I love a good movie, so I sat down and watched a classic. Lo and behold, I had a good rest of the evening.

It is normal to have highs and lows- everyone has them (although some might not admit to it). How you handle them means the difference between getting into a rut or letting those bad days easily slip by into good days.

So, how do you handle bad days? For a relatively effective fix, you can do the same thing I do. First of all, make a list of the reasons you are  feeling bad. Make a sub- list. In the sub- list, you want to make two categories. The first one is: Things you can change. The second sub- list is: Things that are out of your control.

Do all the things in your 'can change' sub- list. After you finish, you are left with your can't change list. Go over it one more time, reminding yourself that it is, in fact, something you can't change. Take a step back.  And now, take a moment to do something you enjoy, like playing basketball or video games. Make sure you are really distracting yourself, so that by the end of it, you are not thinking about what has put you in a bad mood.

Hopefully, by this time, you should even be in a good mood!

This is just one technique I personally use and that I find effective. I have many other ideas as well to feel good and . . .encouraged. If you need more ideas on how to channel good feelings and get out of a bad mood, let me know. I can offer you free minutes to start, so don't be too shy to ask.