Taking Control of Your Bad Mood

So you're in a bad a mood, maybe someone said something to you out of line or in the wrong way, maybe you're still thinking about an argument between you and a friend the other night, or it could be that you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, but whatever it is, you are NOT a in good mood today. So what do you do? Me? I try to either stay to myself or have as little contact with people as possible until I'm out of my funk. What do others do? I've found there to be 2 other paths that most people take. Some want to talk about. They may complain out loud or make some obvious verbal hints that they are in a bad mood, hoping you take the bait and ask them "what's wrong?" Or some may just walk right up to you and start venting. The second path I've seen people take are the ones who take their bad mood out on any and everyone that crosses their path. If they're having a bad day, EVERYONE is having a bad day. These are just 3 different paths to take, I'm sure there are many more, but which one is the right path? Not everyone is the kind of person who can work it out on their own and talking it out may be their best therapy. The third path mentioned, making your bad day everyone's bad day, is definitely not the right path to take. It may work in making you feel better at the moment, but in the long run you're going to lose a lot of friends.

I've come up with 3 steps to take when you find yourself in a bad mood. I think the first and most important thing is to recognize that it's not everyone else but it's YOU. When you find yourself in the position where it seems like everyone around you has an attitude and is saying things to tick you off, realize that if it's EVERYONE, then most likely, it's really ONLY YOU. YOUR THE ONE WITH THE ATTITUDE. Recognizing you're the one with the problem is step 1.

Step 2 is to find a way to relieve that stress, because all any bad mood or attitude is is pent up stress, no matter what the reason behind what caused it. So find out how to release it, whether that be spending some alone time with yourself, venting to someone (preferably someone who is already a friend because venting to potential friends is often is a good way to not make any new ones - no one really wants their good mood ruined by your bad one).

And Step 3 is moving past it. Our moods, up or down, no matter what the cause, are really up to us! I'm not saying that it's easy, you can't expect to say "I will be in a good mood" and instantly your mood is brighter, but willing yourself in a better mood is possible. Allow yourself to get past whatever was bothering you and move on.

Taking control of your bad mood isn't as hard as it may seem, it just takes some honest self evaluation, and that's the hard part. But hey, if you can't be honest with yourself, who can you be honest with? So keep these steps in mind whenever you find yourself a little cranky. 

It's All In The Plan

So I guess you've been wondering, "Where has she been?" My goal had always been to write a new post in Mind & Soul at least once a month, but life has had me busy... very busy! But busy in a good way, though, so I'm not complaining. :) God has really been blessing me lately and I am so grateful.

My prayer since I was 12 years old has been for God to order my steps and it is truly awesome when you can sit back and look over your life and see God doing just that. Even when I want to turn left, it's as if my feet are set in stone because God won't let me make a move that is not going to be in my favor.
I'll admit, this can be a little annoying at times because all of us, myself included, are impatient when it comes to God. We see the hear and now and we want what we want when we want it, without realizing that God sees the future and is always getting us prepared for what's to come next.

I say all that to say that no matter what you're going through, know that it's all in God's plan. Even the mistakes that we make, while some are things that God wouldn't have had us go through if we had chose to listen to Him, God will turn that into an experience that we can learn from. With God, NOTHING IS EVER IN VAIN.

I know sometimes it can seem that we pray and pray, waiting for God to answer, but my mother once told me and I believe it's true, God ALWAYS answers our prayers. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes we're told to wait, and sometimes the answer is no.

Don't ever think that God has forgotten about you because He cares and would never leave you.

I don't know about you, but whenever I'm going through some rough times in my life, it feels good knowing that God is still there and this bad time won't last forever. You might have heard that saying, "for everything there's a reason and season"? Well, that's really true! It's all in the plan.

Giving It 100%

Hello lovely people! :) It's June 23, 2011, which means almost in the month of July. Seven months have passed and it feels like the year just started! Time has a way of just flying by! So how has the positive life been treating you? No one ever promised you (I know I certainly didn't) that life would be easier or problems would disappear when you have a positive attitude (in fact, it can often feel just the opposite), but I do believe that having a positive attitude, mind, and soul will help you deal with the problems much easier. You now, hopefully, have a new outlook on things, so you don't react to problems as dramatically as you may have before. It's just life! Problems are going to come and go, that's just the way it is, but the attitude you take while handling them is the real issue. As I've said before, and I'm sure I'll say again, I'M NOT PERFECT. I write this blog in an effort to hopefully encourage and motivate all who read it, but serves as a source of encouragement for myself as well.
Somewhat like therapy for my mind and soul; an online journal or diary to keep me on a positive path. But like I said, I'm not perfect, so while I'm a naturally positive person, life has a way of testing that, and until a couple of weeks ago, I was letting the small negative situations and people in my life really effect me in a bad way. That's until I decided–with God's help of course–"NO MORE! I'm remaining positive, GIVING IT MY 100% OR NOTHING AT ALL!" No more complaining, discussing, thinking or agonizing over people and/or situations that I can't change.  I finally realized that God is in charge, He's the director of the show which I call my life and He's never going to give me more than I can handle, and with Him, I CAN DO AND CONQUER ALL THINGS! So why am I stressing? The key is, I've got to do my part by giving it my 100%!


So what about you? Do you pledge from this day on to give it your 100%? I'm not saying there will never be times where you or I will not feel stressed out or sad, that's unrealistic, I'm just saying that from this day on we will make a concentrated effort to remain positive and rise above the negativity around us. Key word being "concentrated". I've learn that being positive, even if you're a "naturally positive person", doesn't come natural. You may be blessed that 9 times out of 10 you have always had a more hopeful, optimistic way of seeing things (that would be the kind of person I am) but remaining that way takes effort! (Trust me, I know.) So take the pledge! GIVE IT 100%!

Guess What? YOU'RE BLESSED!

Hello my positive ones! I'm keeping it short but sweet today. Now I'm assuming since you're reading this, you woke up this morning, and with the full seeing capabilities, too (hey, you may have to have some assistance on hand, in other words, glasses, but no matter, you're still able to see). You're living, you're breathing, so matter what hardships you may be currently facing, Guess what? YOU'RE BLESSED!

Be encouraged!
Jonelle

P.S - A book I read from time to time says that for everything there is a season. A season only lasts for a certain amount of time before a new one begins, so matter what you're going through, remember that in time, this too shall pass. And count it all joy because guess what? YOU'RE STILL BLESSED!

P.M.A

Hey positive ones! It's been a long time, huh? Sorry about that, but I have to admit, I haven't been in the most positive mood lately so that makes it kinda' hard to try and spread positivity to others. Life most definitely has it's ups and downs, taking your emotions along for the ride, but as of today I'm developing a new, more positive, attitude! So I thought I'd get this blog up and rolling again. I just want to take the time out right now to thank the people who follow it. I hope it inspires and encourages you!

Think, Do and Be POSITIVE!

So "P.M.A"... what is it? P.M.A stands for Positive Mental Attitude. As I said before, life can really take you on an emotional roller coaster sometimes, but I heard this saying recently and it struck me as being so true that I haven't been able to get it out of my mind: "85% of your success will be determined by how much PMA you have." Your success in achieving your personal goals, hopes & dreams, relationships, career, and life in general all depend on your attitude. No matter what the situation, this will always remain true because the way you respond to situations (i.e- your attitude) always determines the outcome. I'll give you an example, have you ever been in a conversation that winds up turning into a full-blown argument just because you didn't like the attitude coming from the person you were talking to? Or vice versa (maybe that person didn't like your attitude)? The whole situation could have been easily resolved but one or both of you chose to approach the situation using the wrong tone or over react in some way. I know I've been there before and I'm pretty sure everyone has at one point and time in their lives. That's why I've made a declaration to maintain a positive mental attitude, period. Sure, it can get hard, but what was my last post about, "When The Going Gets Tough... "? Sometimes you just gotta' stand and take the good with the bad, realizing that for awhile there may be more bad than good. Now I don't want you to think that I'm "perfect" (not that anyone is) or that I never make mistakes or haven't failed at living this philosophy, because I do mistakes and lately I've failed miserably at this way of thinking. This blog is also a reminder for me to follow my own advice.

So when you're facing life's obstacles, remember "85% of your success will be determined by how much PMA you have" and choose your actions and words wisely.

When The Going Gets Tough...

Hello people! How's it going? Keeping it positive and spreading the positivity I hope! :) Me? I'm alive and healthy which is most definitely a blessing so I can't complain. I gotta' admit, though, lately, with life's little ups & downs, I haven't had the most positive outlook. It happens and I'm not immune, but the one positive thing I can say about it is at least I realize that my attitude needs adjusting and can now take the proper steps to change it. (Realization is half the battle.)

So I'm going to keep this short and (hopefully) sweet. The topic of this post is "When The Going Gets Tough... ", you know the old saying, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going"? Well, unfortunately, that's not always true. Life can really beat you up sometimes. Knock you down until you feel you can no longer keep moving or "get going", and in those times, in my opinion, the "toughest" thing you can do is stand. All of this is figuratively speaking of course, so you may be wondering, what do I mean by "stand"? Standing is what you do when you do when you've done everything else, you've cried, you've  yelled & screamed, you've let out every emotion you can think of and still, the problem and/or situation you're going through remains there, and it's not going away. So you just stand. In life there are going to be problems and they're not going away until God says so. Every situation we go through has a reason and a set time for it to pass, whether we'd like to believe that or not. (And believe me, I am not the most patient person so this doesn't naturally come easy for me.) But remember, God never puts more on us than we can bare.

So I write this blog today not to discourage you or get you depressed, but hopefully to ENCOURAGE you! And let you know that you are not alone! The going is going to get tough, there's no doubt about that, but when it does, stand, and know that you CAN take it and you WILL get though it! 

Keepin' it positive!
Jonelle

The True Meaning of Stress

A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?', but she fooled them all... "How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.  In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.  When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... pick them up tomorrow."

Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it!

20 Things To Remember To Reduce Stress

1. Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!
   
2. Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
   
3. Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
   
4. Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.
   
5. If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
   
6. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
   
7. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
    
8. Never buy a car you can't push.
   
9. Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
   
10. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance!
     
11. Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
     
12. The second mouse gets the cheese.
     
13. When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
     
14. Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
    
15. You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
     
16. Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.
     
17. We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull.  Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
     
18. A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
     
19. Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.
     
20. It was I, your friend!

I thought this one was too good not to share! Hope you enjoyed it! 

Keep it positive!
Jonelle

SUCCEED AT FITNESS IS HERE!!!

Hey! Just dropping in to tell you all that my fitness and nutrition site that I've been working on, Succeed At Fitness.com, is here!!! It's officially up and running so go check it out! Succeed At Fitness was created to help others succeed in fitness by achieving a healthy mind, body & spirit through exercise, nutrition, and positivity. Look to Succeed At Fitness. or encouragement, tips & tricks, reviews and so much more! The best thing you can ever do for yourself is get healthy. A healthy mind, body, and spirit is essential to achieving total fitness. Let's succeed at fitness together!

The plan is for the site and both of my blogs ("Mind & Soul" and "Confessions Of A Fit Girl") to all work together so if you'll notice the new links to your right you will see that you can now access Succeed At Fitness.com through this page. Pretty neat, huh? :) Enjoy! And please let me know what you think of the site!


Thanks,
Jonelle 

Change

Hello positive ones! Well if you've been a follower of Mind & Soul for awhile, I'll bet you've noticed something different... that's right! My web design has been changed!! I thought it could use an update and I love the color green so I'm giving this a try. Lots of new, exciting things have been going on and will be coming up in my web world in the days to come. Starting with on this Friday, April 1st (yes, April 1st and no, this is no April Fool's Day joke), I'll be launching my new fitness and nutrition website, Succeed At Fitness.com! (If you'd like to take a sneak peak, click here.) Combined with this blog, along with my other blog, Confessions Of A Fit Girl, I'm hoping Succeed At Fitness will be a powerful resource to help people totally succeed at fitness by achieving a healthy mind, body, & spirit through exercise, nutrition and positivity! I'll be announcing the launch of the site on here, as well as Confessions Of A Fit Girl, so you won't be able to miss it! (If you're on Facebook, check out my Succeed At Fitness 'Like' page, once you've 'liked' that page, you can also friend me while you're at it. :) )

CHANGE. I know, I know, that's a scary word for some of you. It's one of those words that's met with either total joy or hate. Me? I take it with joy, I thrive on change! Why be afraid of it? Change in your life is the only thing constant that you can truly rely on. Whether it be for the good or the bad, change is inevitable. So I say, why not embrace it? I think the real fear that most people have about change is the stigma that all change is bad. This is so untrue! As I look back over my life, I can see all the changes I've went through, not just physically but mentally, and I thank God for them! I've come a long way, baby! No longer the shy, overweight girl who cared so much what other people were thinking or what they were going to say that she often didn't speak her mind or do the things that she really wanted to do. Now stands a fit, confident, young woman whose afraid of trying nothing, knows that she can achieve any goal she sets her mind to,  and who could care less what other people think. Now don't get me wrong, I'm no superwoman, I still have my insecure moments, everyone does. And I would never want you to believe that change happens overnight. But just know that not all change isn't bad. And you've gotta' realize that it took the good and bad changes to make me into the strong person I am today. If you think about it, I'm sure you could say the same. You know that old saying, "what doesn't kill you will make you stronger"? It really is true. I'm not saying that all the bad things in life are fair and actually good for you, but it's my personal belief that God never allows any situation that happens to you be in vain, you're always going to come out stronger and wiser.

So when you're faced with changes in life and you feel somewhat out of control, relax, take a step back, realize that God is still in control, and this change, be it good or bad, will all work out for your good in the end.

Expect The Unexpected!

Good day positive ones! It's been awhile but I'm back with another encouraging word to hopefully motivate you and help start your day off right. Although you wouldn't know it from looking out of the window in my neck of the woods, Spring is here! And with Spring officially here, I thought it was about time for all of us to do some Spring Cleaning. Don't worry, I'm not about to tell you to pull out a vacuum or broom! :) I'm not talking about that kind of cleaning. I'm talking about the cleaning out our minds and souls of all negative thoughts - whether that be negative thoughts towards other people or ourselves. I've discovered that often times we can be our own worst enemy, doubting ourselves before we even give others the chance. We go through life in a constant state of negative thinking, always expecting the worse when what we should be doing is exactly the opposite! Why not expect the best? EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED! And expect that unexpected thing to be something that will positively impact your life and the lives of others. Positive thinking doesn't hurt so I sometimes wonder why we run away from it so much... Is it because we don't want to be let down or disappointed? Well, that's just silly! Sure, things aren't always going to work out the way that we hoped, but that's life. And no matter what it looks like, have faith that in the end, you're going to get your just due! I'm a big believer in the saying, "What God has for me, IT IS FOR ME!" Maybe a certain situation you are facing now isn't working out the way you would have hoped or planned, but it's not over! What will be, WILL BE! So stay positive, always hoping and expecting the best! It's mid-March, heading into April, and I'm sure we've all faced some difficulties from January until now, that's nothing new, but it's how you handle them that really counts, and it's never too late, now is the perfect time to clear your mind of all the negative thoughts... the doubts, the worries, the hard-feelings & grudges, ... the list goes on and on. Start expecting the unexpected! I do! And I'm expecting a miracle!