Marvelous Minutia 2010. Powered by Blogger.

How Not to Have a Bad Day


Normally I am a very optimistic person. I see the world through rose colored glasses and frankly I wouldn’t have it any other way. I cannot imagine going through life being a pessimist, always sour about something. Every once in a while however, like most people, I have an off day. We all encounter things throughout our day that can turn us from Happy into Grumpy in a heartbeat. That was a Snow White reference in case you missed it. It might be something as simple as misinterpreting an e-mail to a heated exchange of words with the boss. These things, when they transpire, can change a great day into an abysmal one very quickly. It is our own fault really. We give other people the power to ruin our day. But I digress, that is topic for another post.

It is unfortunate many of the things that transpire, causing our day and mood to head south, are, more often than not, initiated by other people.  Because of this, it is impossible to prepare or guard ourselves against something that may or may not occur during the day.  If we knew in advance when something was about to occur we could seek alternative action to avoid the situation altogether.  But since this is not the case, I find it advantageous to make sure I am enjoying my day as thoroughly as possible in order to create a buffer against any negativity that may confront me.  In order to accomplish this, I find it extremely beneficial to ensure my mornings include some of the things that make me the happiest, a good morning hug from my little girl for example or a kiss from my wife before she or I head off to work.  As it turns out, one of the most effective ways to ensure a positive state of mind and overall happiness is to start off the day singing.  Yes, I said singing.  Singing can be a great release of tension and for some reason it seems impossible to be in a bad mood when signing along to your favorite song.  Have you ever found yourself tapping your foot or signing while in a bad mood? Me either.  That is the power of music. 

Music is entertaining, sometimes hypnotic and, more often than not, relatable.  A great song, one that strikes a chord, can tug at the listener’s heart, make the listener smile, or even make the listener feel empowered.  The right song can turn even the most abysmal day around.  There is some factual evidence supporting my claim as well.  Studies have shown that productivity increases and stress is reduced while listening to music.  Further, history shows us that music has been used to treat illnesses and restore harmony between mind and body. Recent studies have found that music encourages coordination and communication, helps to reduce stress and anxiety, can alleviate depression and increase self-esteem.  In other words music improves the listener’s quality of life.

Don’t believe me?  Tomorrow morning, either at home or in the car, load the CD player with your favorite song and sing along.  Do not be demur about it, sing with feeling, play a little air guitar, dance, release your inner rock star.  It does not matter if you can sing well or not.  I couldn’t carry a tune if it was in a basket and strapped to my back.  When the song ends, analyze how you feel.  I’d bet my bottom dollar that this simple exercise will have started you down the path to a most excellent day.  A day where you enjoy the gifts given to you, a day where you are able to shrug off drama like water runs off a duck’s back, a day where your positive mood is infectious to others you come in contact with.  Best of all, this simple exercise is repeatable and if you’re like me, once you find how effective it is, you’ll find yourself singing a lot more often. 

7 comments:

Savira Gupta said...

Too true! For me dancing works.... it wakes up those happy cells within me and chases the sad ones away....

Ruthie's Greetings said...

This is sooo true! Music has a great effect on your mood. I think it's definately one of the gifts that God has given :-) Thanks for posting!

Unknown said...

Yes! I agree as well! Music keeps me sane. I especially play music at work and wouldn't know what to do without it.

Unknown said...

Singing totally relieves my tension. However, those around me vehemently oppose this method of stress relief and prefer to slip Valium in my espresso when I get too high-strung.

Ryan said...

Tricia, you crack me up! Huge fan of your blog.

Unknown said...

I some times wake up singing James Brown " I feel Good, like I knew that I would" and go into my happy dance.I need to learn the rest of that song though. They are the best days!
Much Love, Deanne

Gina Alfani said...

Hello Ryan . . . awww music soothes the soul!! Dance music is the ultimate instant happy mood . . . at least for me it is :)

Thanks for visiting and following my blog . . . I'm following you back!

Happy holidays to you and your family . . . Gina

http://peacelovehappinesshappens.blogspot.com

Post a Comment

 
Copyright 2009 Marvelous Minutia
Design by BloggerThemes