Do you want to choose your own mood? Let's talk about this!

Have you ever been in a bad mood and just couldn't get out of it? Or have you ever felt like you had a lot to do and thought, 'I don't feel like doing anything today'? We sometimes think that these moods are just things that come to us, that we can't control. But in reality, that's not the case. We can influence and change our feelings, that is, our moods. In fact, choosing the mood that is most suitable for a given situation is part of our emotional intelligence. Choosing the right mood helps you control any situation you are in.

Mood and mindset come together for success!

When we do something, our mood affects how well we can do it. And there's another thing, and that's the way we set our minds, which we call our mindset. Now you might be thinking, 'What's the difference between mood and mindset?' Simply put, mood is the feeling we have. Mindset is the thoughts and ideas that come to our mind along with that feeling. Mood and mindset go hand in hand, because our thoughts can affect our mood. Here's a quick example: Imagine you're competing in a swim meet this afternoon. Which of the following moods and mindsets will help you compete at your best?

• Mood A: Feeling uncertain. You keep thinking that others will beat you, and maybe you won't fit in with the group.
• Mood B: Anger, restlessness. You think this swimming will take away from the time you have with your friends.
• Mood C: Enthusiastic and full of confidence. You think that if you try your best, your team has a great chance of coming in good shape.

In fact, you can achieve the best results with the mood and mindset of C, right? But imagine if you were feeling like A or B, and you were afraid that that mood was affecting your performance? Fortunately, you can change your mood.

How do we choose the mood we want?

Okay, so let's see how to select or change this mood. There are a few steps to this.

Step 1: Identify your current mood.

To change your mood, you first need to know what you are thinking and feeling right now. Then you can decide whether the mood you are in is appropriate for the moment, whether you need to change to a different mood, or whether you are in the best mood. Identify a mood, stop and think about what you are feeling and why you are feeling that way. Put those feelings into words. Like, 'Oh, I feel so sad right now' or 'I feel so lonely.' You can say this silently to yourself, out loud, or to someone else.

Step 2: Accept how you feel.

Once you've given your feeling a name, try to understand why you're feeling that way. Think about it, feeling bored on a rainy Saturday, or feeling angry when you have to study when everyone else is out. These are all very normal feelings. All feelings are acceptable and understandable. But you don't have to get stuck in them. Observe your mood, and then decide to move on.

Step 3: Think about what mood best suits the situation you are in.

If you're going to a swimming competition, the best thing to do is to be enthusiastic and confident. If you want to study well, it's best to be enthusiastic, alert, and confident. Then being angry, restless, and disappointed in yourself won't help, right? Take a minute and think about what kind of emotions will help you achieve your goal.

How do you get into the best mood?

Once you've figured out what mood best suits your work or situation, get into that mood at the right time. Think of these 6 things that start with the letter 'P', meaning 'Positive', and focus on them. These will help you ``reset'' your mood.

• Purpose: Be clear about what you want to do and what you want to accomplish. For example, you might want to finish your studies as quickly and well as possible and then go to a party.
• Place: Put yourself in a good place - because the environment affects your mood. If you want to study, it's better to find a table or desk in a quiet room than to go to a coffee shop where you can meet friends and distract you.
• People: Who can help you feel the way you need to? A classmate who is studying attentively can be a better study partner than a chatty friend. Sometimes, just thinking about a person is enough to make you feel confident, encouraged, empowered, or supported.
• Playlist: Music is one of the most powerful things that can affect mood. Because music is a way to communicate and evoke emotions. Create playlists of music that best support your life and that are conducive to positive moods.
• Posture:Get your body in the right mood. If you're studying, try exercises that help you focus on your body posture, such as yoga or tai chi. If you need a boost, do a workout that gets your heart rate up. When you're getting ready to sleep, try deep breathing, stretching , or other activities that calm your mind.
• Promotion: You talk to yourself and encourage yourself with self-talk. Self-talk is a way of using your thoughts to influence your mood. If you've ever said to yourself, "Okay, let's get serious now" or "I can do this!", you've used self-talk to get yourself in the right mood. Not only does this create a mindset that supports your mood, it also helps you maintain it. That's what makes pep talks to athletes so effective.

How do we get out of a mood that is no help to us?

When we need to get out of an unpleasant or unhelpful mood, think of a U-turn, which starts with the letter 'U' . Try these mood-shifting techniques:

• Undo: Do ​​something to break the chain of thought that keeps your old mood going. Distract yourself with something like a game of Sudoku, or just look out the window for a few minutes. These distractions are like rebooting your mind - they create a gap between moods.
• Unstick: Change your body position. If you're sitting, stand up. Do some jumping jacks. Stretch your body a little. Walk around the room. When you move your body, both your mindset and your mood change.
• Unwind : Sit quietly, breathe slowly, and focus on each breath. Stop your mind from drifting back into the mood you are trying to change, and with each breath, say to yourself: ‘I am breathing in’ and ‘I am breathing out.’ Focus on feeling calm.

You may already be choosing your mood without even realizing it - most people naturally choose a mood without even thinking about it. But practicing ways to deliberately choose your mood can help you become adept at it.So, the next time you feel a strong emotion, a mood, stop and give it a name. Ask yourself, 'Is this the right mood for what I'm trying to do?' Sometimes, think about it, a person who is very happy thinking about their weekend plans on a Friday afternoon when they have classes - that happiness may not be the right mood at that time, right? So, it's very important to choose the mood that suits the occasion.

So, what do we need to remember from all of this?

Simply put, our feelings, or moods, are not something that just happens to us. The important thing is that we can influence them, that we can change them. It's like learning something new. It may seem a little difficult at first, but once you get used to it, it becomes very easy.

Your ability to control your emotions and adjust your mood to suit the situation, that is, developing your emotional intelligence , will greatly help you succeed in many things in life.

So, think about it for a moment, and see if you're ready to take control of your mood and spend your day the way you want! This is something you can do.

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Mood, emotion regulation, mind, thoughts, emotional intelligence, self-talk, mental health