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10 Ways to Break a Bad Mood Cycle

shocked-and-annoyed-mom

Imagine your house was flooding with tsunami-sized waves and your kids were running for their lives. Your husband is ahead of you picking up the kids turning back with intense look of fear all over his face. They are all running for the door.

We’ve never had a flood like that. I’ve just seen these faces of fear.

Because I have been the tsunami tearing through our home. And they are running for safe ground away from my bad mood or far away from the wrath of the clean-up monster.

It’s so horrific I am admitting this to you today, because I am supposed to be the queen of fun and great moods. I have struggled with my moods. I do love a fun home, but little things can certainly set me off and I have to fight against my normal self. I do not want those kids to fear me or anything in our home.

I must be the grown up – the one to break the bad mood cycle. It often starts with me and ripples through each person. So, what if I chose to break it and infuse joy and laughter?

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10 Ways to Break a Bad Mood Cycle

Here are a few ways I’ve found to give our household an infusion of joy.

  1. Pray and Breathe. It sounds simple, but sometimes we just need a redo or restart.
  2. Tickle Attack. No matter the age of the people in your home, a sudden tickle attacks makes any home erupt with laughter.
  3. Cuddle Up and Read a Book. Take turns with a timer if you have multiple kids.
  4. Friend Refresher. Text a friend. Walk with a friend. Or even coffee with a friend. Get around joyful people.
  5. Dance Party. Burn a CD of your go-to tunes to have on call for when moods start to spiral down.
  6. Encourage Someone. Loving on others takes the focus off us and replaces crankiness with compassion.
  7. Change Scenes. We often jump in the car for a sweet-tea run for mom or walk to a playground to get our smiles going.
  8. Funny Photos. Our family loves to take funny photos together or play with the photo booth feature on my computer.
  9. Play. Crazy concept, but making time to play with our children or style is a surefire joy-starter.
  10. Listen. I take turns asking my kids questions from silly to insightful. (What made you happy? What would you do if…?)

I am thankful for progress in this area and for prayer. I am thankful for grace, mercy and forgiveness. And for the joy that comes from the choosing to break the bad mood cycle.

How do you break the bad mood cycle in your home?

10 Ways to Break a Bad Mood Cycle

Check out this FUN image my friend Jennifer of Tales of a Peanut created. She is the writer of “Teaching Your Daughter to Handle Girl Drama” that you have loved. And graciously made this for me. She is putting up in her office so she remembers! PDF file to print here.10 Ways to Break a Bad Mood Cycle

Make sure you have your copy of In This House, We Will Giggle. We are focusing on a virtue a month. Starting with JOY in JANUARY!

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13 Comments

  1. Yay! Joy in January when I tend to get sad that christmas hoopla is over for 11 months. We are on board. Honest and open before Him, I pray for deep deep drinks of His joy this next month so I can do these fun things and be the joyful example in the home. Without his well, I’m dry.

  2. Thank you for this practical list! I often find myself getting irritated with the small things and then exploding. Not the kind of mom I want to be!!!

  3. This was just right! I have been hitting rock bottom this week and I need this list! lol Thank you for your honesty and I praise God constantly for grace! I am hanging that list on my refrigerator shortly! Have a great day!

  4. Is there any reason you don’t have share buttons at the end of your posts? I keep wanting to share but end up having to paste and copy over to other places.

  5. His is great Courtney! I’m so blessed to have a few days home from work with my boys. My oldests moods get to me. I have to be the grown up and just ignore his mood. I tell him often to get himself together and choose a different attitude. Good advice for me too! Sometimes I just go sit in my kitchen by my big window and smile. It helps my heart. Usually one of the dogs comes to snuggle too. Stress subsides and I breathe.

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    1. It's a cute sweater. What about shitnenorg the sleeves or removing altogether and wearing as a vest? That way you keep the favorite parts and get rid of what isn't working…

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