Heather Nielsen

Do faith-based positivity coaches ever get in a bad mood?

Last Wednesday I was in a bad mood! Monday night, one child had an epic meltdown. Tuesday night, there was some family contention, and I ended up crying in the bathroom at my in-law’s house. My husband and I were not seeing eye to eye about some parenting issues. I felt I was failing as a mother and was worried about a particular child.

Ever have one of those days? It was enough to make me want to crawl back in bed.

However, I didn’t have time for that. I have a two-year-old to care for and a deadline for a business write-up.

I was sitting on my couch watching Curious George thinking, “how am I supposed to write some faith-filled, positive article when I’m struggling myself?”

How I Shifted my Bad Mood

There are 4 things I’ve found that help me shift from my bad mood to a more positive one.

1. Prayer

I had prayed earlier in the day for guidance- counsel for my children, unity in my marriage, and direction with work. I honestly didn’t know where else to turn but knew that God, my loving Heavenly Father, cared about me and cared about my family. I felt like Abraham Lincoln,

I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.
Abraham Lincoln

I know that all sincere prayers are heard and answered. Praying was an act of humility and acknowledging that I didn’t have the answers I needed.

2. Essential Oils

I began using essential oils in 2013 after my five-week-old baby had RSV. Oh, how I wish I knew about them before that scary hospital experience! Since then, I’ve used them to strengthen our bodies and provide emotional support to our family. Many times, I’ve used essential oils to shift a bad mood, calm down a tantrum or ease some anxiety in our family. I rubbed some Balance (one of my favorite oils!) on my wrists and heart chakra and got to work!

3. Power of Positivity

Even as my bad mood lingered, I dug into my work. I looked over what was already written and found some quotes and photos to add. Searching for the quotes led me to read positive, faith-filled talks. I immersed myself in uplifting material. It’s hard to feel yucky when good words and thoughts surround you!

It took some time to shake off the bad mood. I worked for a couple of hours on my project. After a while, I felt a shift in my energy. Instead of trudging through my assignment, I found joy and fulfillment. I was able to work faster and with renewed energy as I continued.

4. Accomplishment Energy

By the time I finished, I also felt great because I had completed my task! I’ve heard this called “Accomplishment Energy.”

I’ve felt this energy when I’ve set a timer for 15 minutes to work on a chore. When the timer went off, I didn’t want to stop. Getting started was hard, but it was easier to keep going once I got moving.

This is even a law of physics. Objects at rest stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. Object in motion, stay in motion. Inertia is needed to get an object moving or to change the velocity of an object. Once I got started, my momentum kept me going.

Another part of accomplishment energy is from the release of chemicals from the brain. There’s actually dopamine released when we cross an item off our To-Do list! Dopamine is the neurochemical that is associated with learning, motivation, and pleasure, among other things. Dopamine can diminish a bad mood!

Guess what?!? My mood lifted, my mindset shifted, and I felt happier! And I got my writing article completed too!

It may sound too simple, but it worked!

Prayer

+ essential oils

+ surrounding myself with positive, uplifting media

= no more bad mood!

Sometimes we just need to do the little things to have a shift in our thoughts. You can find more tips in this article “7 Habits of the Happy”.

A Bad Mood can get Worse

I know that if I had made different choices, my afternoon could have spiraled down, and I would have ended up feeling worse and not completed my writing assignment. It’s easy to have a pity party, start thinking of all the “what ifs,” and to let worry take over. It’s not easy when we are feeling down, but we have to CHOOSE to feel better by making positive choices.

Do faith-based positivity coaches ever get in a bad mood? 1

I’m grateful my work demands that I encircle myself with positivity. I know other influences challenge so many people, leaving us with the task of actively seeking the good. The Jackrabbit Factor by Leslie Householder. It is a narrative story that teaches about the power of our thoughts and how to harness them for success. Right now, you can get the e-book for free here. Or click the image to purchase the paperback.

Seek the good, and you will find it!