by Lynn Forney | January 13, 2023 3:53 am
Sometimes, it’s just one of those days. Everything seems to go wrong. Nothing huge, but little things that seem to add up one on top of the next. You spill your coffee on your favorite shirt. The one that made you feel spectacular. Now you’re running late. Which causes you to spill it again all over yourself while traveling to your destination. You get the picture. And, as the list keeps on growing, so do the negative thoughts that loop over and over in your mind. The thoughts that also take your mood lower and lower.
How can you shift your mood on one of those days? You might be thinking you can’t. You, and the day, are just doomed. But what if there was something you could do to shift your energy and your negative thought patterns? More importantly, what if you were willing to try? That, in and of itself, is truly the key. It isn’t always the easiest or most obvious route, but it is one worth taking.
Here are some tips to shift your energy when the day seems to be destined for disaster.
1. Laugh in spite of it all
This may seem silly, but a good belly laugh can quickly turn your mood around. If the events of the day seem ridiculous, chances are that’s the truth. You just have to be willing to see it. One morning, my husband was driving me to the airport, and my lukewarm coffee splashed all over him as I was putting it in the cup holder. “Ugh, ” he exclaimed as he started to go into a very irritated rant. I started laughing. Not little giggles, but a big belly laugh as I apologized. It was obviously an accident, and I knew it was annoying, but I just couldn’t help myself. He started to get angry at my laughter, but then he started to join in. Before long, we were both cracking up at the ridiculousness of the situation. It was genuinely funny. And this willingness to laugh changed the energy in the car. For both of us. So, the next time you find yourself at the start of one of those days, laugh. Even if at first, it’s completely fake and forced. If you’re alone, it could change the course of your day. If you’re in public, it might just shift the energy all around you and change the course of someone else’s. And what a wonderful gift that could be.
2. Move
Movement is an excellent way to shift your energy. And if you are already rolling your eyes thinking I’m going to suggest a lavish workout routine, fear not. Exercise has been proven to improve all sorts of things for us, and I certainly recommend it. But here, I’m going to suggest something quick and easy. Just move. Stand up. Lift your arms up to the sky and stretch your body. Add a few twists. Maybe even a few jumping jacks or squats. If you need to stay seated, that’s ok too. You can still move in your chair. It can be incredibly spontaneous and simple. When you find your energy is stagnant, and your thoughts are negative, break that cycle with movement. I promise it works. If you can dance to your favorite song, one that is upbeat and fun, that is an excellent choice too. Which leads me to the next tip.
3. Sound
In addition to movement, sound is a powerful way to move energy. If you’ve turned on a song to dance to, sing along. If you don’t feel like it, start in a grumpy voice. You could even do it with the intention of “poking fun ” at the positivity of the song. Pretty soon, you might find that the tone of your voice changes. Then your mood. You may even find yourself laughing. Who knows until you try? If in the moment, singing and dancing just won’t cut it, find other ways to move your voice. Take the time to focus inward, scan your body, and find the area where you feel that energy is living. It might be your belly, your chest, your shoulders, or hips. The area may feel tight, heavy, or tense. Identify it. Then, imagine the energy coming up from that place, flowing into your throat, and out through your mouth. Allow it to flow without judgment. Whatever sounds you find yourself making, keep them coming until you feel that energy has left your body. At first, you may feel silly, weird, or stupid. Your brain
may tell you to quit. But stick with it. Let it out. Once you feel complete, take some time to notice how you feel. How has that area that you identified earlier feel? How have your thoughts changed? This can be an incredibly transformative tool if you let it.
4. Breathe
Breath is often ignored. Sure, you breathe all day, every day. If you didn’t, well, you know what would happen. But what if you became more intentional about your breath? It is a very quick and simple way to shift your energy and disrupt the negative thoughts that are racing through your mind. This, in turn, can allow you to shift your thoughts to more productive ones. There are numerous breath patterns that can help, but here is one you can try:
-Close your eyes. Breathe normally and take a few moments to settle into your body. Feel the air around you. Notice what you feel against your body. The chair you are sitting on, the fabric of your clothes, etc. Once you feel settled, begin this breathing pattern.
-Slowly and deeply, inhale through your nose for 4 counts. Allow your belly and lungs to fully expand as you imagine your breath moving up into the top of your head.
-Hold your breath at the top for 4 counts, trying to keep the tempo of the counts the same.
-Open your mouth, making the shape of a small “O. ” Slowly and deeply, exhale for 6 counts feeling the breath move down from the top of your body as your navel moves towards your spine.
-Repeat this pattern 10 times.
-Notice how you feel and how your energy has shifted.
5. Tomorrow is a new day
If you’ve tried all of these tips, and your energy just won’t seem to budge, realize that tomorrow is a new day. I know this may seem counterproductive. You came here to learn how to shift your energy after all. But sometimes, the power is accepting that today was just a low-mood kind of day. And, although not overly enjoyable, it’s ok. The key is noticing it, but not staying stuck in it and deciding that every day will be terrible from now on. It might help to begin a gratitude journal at night. Find one thing to be grateful for, even if your day wasn’t all that great. Make the decision that tomorrow is, in fact, new and you will choose to wake up ready to look for a new perspective.
As an alternative to trying these exercises to shift your energy in the middle of one of those days, try beginning your day with one. Set the tone differently than you have before. You may just surprise yourself. No matter what, know that the dark allows you to see and experience the light. And just recognizing that fact alone can be a powerful way to shift your energy.
Lynn F Forney is an actor, dancer, filmmaker, and author of Choosing Survival: How I Endured a Brutal Attack and a Lifetime of Trauma Through the Power of Action, Choice and Self-Expression
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