4196: [Part 1] Prescription For a Bad Mood by Eric Teplitz on Emotional Resilience

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[00:01:07] [SPEAKER_00] You can see the results in the future. You can see the results in the future. You can see the results in the future.

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01] This is Optimal Living Daily. Prescription for a Bad Mood. Part 1 by Eric Teplitz of ericteplitz.com. And I'm Justin Malik. And I have a bit of a longer post, so I'll read the first half today and then finish the rest for you tomorrow. So with that, let's get right to part 1 and continue optimizing your life. Prescription for a Bad Mood. Part 1 by Eric Teplitz of ericteplitz.com.

[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_01] As a hominid, if you're hearing this, you probably are one, you, like the rest of us, are subject to bad moods. Our moods are in a constant state of flux and can be affected by many factors, including whether or not we've eaten, what and how much we've eaten, how much sleep we have or have not gotten, the quality or lack thereof of the sleep we did get, any physical pain or discomfort we may be suffering from,

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_01] the behavior of other hominids, and a million or so other things, some of which we may have some degree of control over, but many or most of which we probably do not. It's easy to get down on ourselves, even if it's unfair, unreasonable, or unhelpful to do so. It's easy to be frustrated by our circumstances, the state of the world, or simply not getting what we think we want at any given moment. This is very much part of the bipedal experience,

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_01] if not also the quadrupedal or any other pedal or lack of pedal experience. As far as I can tell, no one is immune. While it occasionally may come in handy to be in a bad mood, such as when we use it to elicit sympathy from others or to excuse ourselves from some unappealing task, chore, or prior commitment, for the most part, none of us would consciously choose this state. Yet, it shows up.

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_01] And by definition, we are none too happy about it. So if bad moods are inevitable and we can agree that they suck, what, if anything, can we do about them? Well, I like this question. Tackling it puts me in a better mood. The solution. Here's the good news about bad moods. Number one, like everything else in the known world, they don't last. They are temporary. They will pass. Thank goodness.

[00:03:32] [SPEAKER_01] Number two, it is possible, at least sometimes, to disrupt or even dismantle a bad mood through taking some deliberate action to counter it. And number three, it is also possible, at least sometimes, to use a bad mood as a catalyst for positive action. My recommendations for tackling bad moods all boil down to this. Be prepared for them. Do this by creating your own personalized menu of mood-lifting activities.

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_01] Like any chef or restaurateur, you can add or subtract items from your menu as you see fit. The idea, though, is to assemble a list of go-to, positive things to do that you know, from experience, will help you feel better. Then, keep this menu close at hand. And make sure, as is the case with any good menu, that it contains enough variety. Sometimes, not all of the ingredients for a particular item will be available or in season.

[00:04:29] [SPEAKER_01] You might also get tired of always ordering the same thing, no matter how good it is. One of the notorious aspects of a bad mood is that our decision-making skills are compromised when we are in one. This is the purpose of having a menu. You won't have to dream up solutions on the spot. You'll have already done so from a much better frame of mind. Of course, as delectable as its offerings may be, no menu can deliver a satisfying meal on its own. A selection must be made,

[00:04:57] [SPEAKER_01] and action in that direction taken. Getting started, overcoming inertia, is the hardest part. It can be challenging enough to motivate ourselves under the best of conditions, let alone when we are cranky, irritable, or downright depressed. But if you can get past that hurdle and initiate action, you can then ride the glorious wave of momentum and very likely transform your mood as a result. The more you build experiential knowledge of things you find genuinely helpful,

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_01] the more you can draw and act upon this, even when you're feeling really lousy. I don't feel like doing anything right now, but I know from experience that I'll feel better if I do this. Man, so you do. Taking action based on this deeper understanding of yourself rather than succumbing to or even wallowing in misery is the embodiment of wisdom and maturity. When you do this, you're utilizing your capacity to respond rather than simply react.

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_01] It's a skill that, like any other, is developed and strengthened through practice. An important note, you don't want to beat yourself up on those occasions when you find yourself unable to muster up the resolve or the wherewithal to do this. Welcome to humanity. Self-compassion is what's called for in these instances, another skill that may require a good bit of practice. But you do want to acknowledge yourself each time you are able to pull this pretty incredible feat off.

[00:06:24] [SPEAKER_01] After all, you are building fortitude, character, perhaps even destiny-shaping self-determination. You are reinforcing highly desirable neural pathways with each rep. Each success in this regard, however seemingly small, is a triumph worth celebrating. It is a proclamation of power over circumstance. Guidelines for your menu. So here are some general recommendations for things to include on your menu.

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_01] You hear those on tomorrow's episode. You just listened to part one of the post titled Prescription for a Bad Mood by Eric Teplitz of ericteplitz.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. The hot weather lately has been a reminder that little habits matter. We spend so much time looking for ways to improve, and sometimes it starts with paying more attention to the basics, like hydration. And that's what I love about instant hydration.

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[00:08:50] [SPEAKER_01] Thank you to Eric for this one, or at least for the first half so far. I'll finish the rest of the post tomorrow. I like that tip, be prepared for the bad moods, because they are inevitable. It's just a human experience. Even when we think money might solve all of our problems right now, it's been shown even when we get that money or reach that random arbitrary goal of, I don't know, let's say losing 35 pounds, we still aren't happy all the time,

[00:09:19] [SPEAKER_01] and we still have bad days or average days and good days, most likely pretty close to the same frequency as before. It's funny how that works. So being prepared for them is a good tip, I think. Knowing yourself well enough to be able to say that X, Y, and Z tend to lift your mood up, even on the hardest of days, that's a great start. And like Eric said, keeping that list or menu, as he called it, close at hand can really make a positive impact,

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_01] lowers that decision-making at a critical time. And we're gonna hear specific suggestions and guidelines for this menu on tomorrow's episode. So I'll leave it there for today. Thank you for being here and listening every day, and we'll finish this one up tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.