Tag Archives: mood

Welcome the present moment as an invited guest

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Welcome the present moment as an invited guest.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Felicia Buitenwerf

What is your typical mood and attitude in the following situations? These are examples of positive and negative “creative tension.”

  • Friday afternoons, heading into the weekend
  • Sunday nights, before a busy week at work
  • Packing for an upcoming vacation
  • Heading to your doctor for medical testing
  • Getting a clean bill of health after a physical
  • Doing your taxes
  • Learning you’re getting a sizable refund on your taxes

When we have seemingly positive events in our future we’re up, and when impending negative situations loom, we’re down.

What about all of those in-between moments that seem rather bland or neutral?

EXERCISE:

How can you improve your mood and shift your attitude by welcoming more of the moments of your life?

A friend of mine uses the phrase It’s All Good to express his daily appreciation of simply being alive.

You find yourself refreshed by the presence of cheerful people

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“You find yourself refreshed by the presence of cheerful people. Why not make an earnest effort to confer that pleasure on others?”

—Lydia Maria Francis Child, 19th Century American Social Reformer

Image from Unsplash by Tyler Nix

Who are the people in your life that always exude a cheerful disposition? Who are those that smile at you and seem to be genuinely happy to see you whenever you connect?

When you think of them how do you feel? What sensations do you experience, and how does your mood and attitude shift as you anticipate each encounter?

Shift things around for a minute and consider how many of these people would put you on their list of happy, peppy people? How do you brighten the room, or pull down the room darkening curtains when you show up?

EXERCISE:

Look up the books FISH and Make Their Day to see how you can brighten the lives of others. Don’t be surprised if you benefit from the boomerang of cheerfulness that comes your way in return.

“A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.”

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“A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.”

—William Arthur Ward, 20th Century American Author

Image of a man smiling and pumping his fists

Image from Unsplash by Bruce Mars

Virtually everyone in my office seems to be in a far better mood. We are nearing the end of  spring, and summer is right around the corner. The warmer summer days that last hours beyond the work day are likely a primary factor.

Even on cloudy or rainy days, most folks have an attitude of, “The sun will come out tomorrow.”

Unfortunately, some people we all know have storms and cloudy days within them, and often try to rain on our professional and personal parades.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can and will you share your sunniest disposition today and throughout the year to brighten everyone’s world?

Guard your good mood

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“Guard your good mood.”

—Meryl Streep, Three Time Academy Award Winning Actor

Image of Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace

Image from Flickr by Dave Strom

Do you lock your home and your car before you leave them? Perhaps you may even have an alarm system, or a dog that barks when strangers come to your door.

Consider all the passwords and encryption systems used to protect your valuable data and, of course, your financial information.

Given today’s quote, who and what are the thieves that diminish or empty your “good mood” account?

Take a moment to get very specific about who, what, and how these daily bumps and roadblocks shift your ups to downs, often leaving you upset and drained.

EXERCISE:

What are some new and creative ways you can better guard and protect your mood and put more pep in your step?

A fun little book you might enjoy is Zapp: The Lightning of Empowerment