Ever blame a sour mood on bad disposition of others, on stress, or on poor weather? Or have you observed a cool friend’s zest for fun disappear like sparks die under a hose – around your drum eye rolls?
Have you considered how simple choice determines if you’ll smile or sneer? Look to serotonin wins – and your brain’s fuels better moods, and expects wins based on buying the power punches that potent drug ensures.
Rather than blame poor moods on life, people, lack of time, or desire for perfection, consider how the brain uses choice to upgrade moods. Why so?
Your Moods Impact You and Others
Your moods can tank or energize an entire group – without a word spoken! How so?
Because of mirror neurons you are impacted by others’ moods, like it or not. Ever notice how enjoyable it is to hang out with happy, self-confident peers? The opposite is also true.
Simply stated people do far better, even when they feel down or angry, if you maintain good moods! Good moods shine light on opportunities – in the face of problems. The opposite is also true, as opportunity knocks on moody doors in vain. Good reason to run from sour attitudes?
It’s also true that your bad moods can topple a house, when you least expect it to fall on your head!
Grow IQ for Good Moods
People high in intrapersonal intelligence, on the other hand, tend to see issues from others’ viewpoint. Can you see why good moods follow, as they refuse to take jabs personally?
Who can you count on to come down on the side of compassion when conflict strikes you? Meet the namungo gang who sprinkle light in dark tunnels.
Social and emotional learning tools help you to choose good moods in tough times, so you can brighten any day, in spite of storm clouds.
Body Language Fosters or Kills Wonder
Moods impact us all, even when words go unspoken! Few people though, recognize how body language fosters or diminishes people nearby, especially those who love you! How so?
Watch others behave badly when you feel edgy, and your own untamed amygdala handles stressful situations poorly. The cortisol chemical that controls human brains may be quietly moody – but cortisol screams discontent through body language. Yes, regardless of spoken or “out of sorts” unspoken gestures.
The brain comes equipped to hone in on both good or bad moods around you daily. Moods impact behavior through mirror neurons (the brain’s innate mimicking equipment) – that drags you down, or soars your wonder to the next rooftop.
Choice is daily – yet moody habits are hard to transform without tools to help you build curiosity and confidence on their other side.
Moods as Habits
Tucked away in your basal ganglia find lifelong skills that transform moods into excellent pick-me-up tools or outmoded traps that kill others’ spirit.
The key to transform a bad mood is to act as if you just won a lottery, rather than react poorly to loss you may feel.
Speak to others as if you walked in their moccasins. Say nothing when you feel ignored, rejected, or slighted, and moods take you to delightful new heights. Choose to care for others as if you’d never been hurt, and caring moods follow. Why so? Actions literally reshape the human brain, so that emotions line up and follow the new you.
Moods shout louder than words often because they influence brain wave activity and circuitry. They hold power to alter contentment and can upgrade outcomes when influenced by background music. Choice becomes the operative tool! Sluggish brains, for instance, can create toxins that lead to depression and moodiness you may not recognize.
So why do some folks revert to moods that hurt themselves and others? It’s often a matter of choice!
Moods as Choice
Focus on action that sidestep feelings of loss! Move multiple intelligences up a notch, for instance, and watch others toss talents on board too. Moods change when you look at problems with strategies or solutions in mind.
Though moods you choose to add value or sink any project. Show impatience with those around you, for instance, and you’ll empower the cynic but exclude genuine talents. Have you seen it happen?
To create spaces for good moods plan for serotonin moods to flow at work. Model good moods when challenges strike to plug mental leaks that allow in cortisol to poison moods for others.
People who become aware of how their moods impact others, also expect new neuron pathways to dynamic solutions that prevent boredom that shuts down innovation or invention in any environment.
Moods Impact Mental Health
Good moods take advantage of working memory and encourage others to take informed risks that move people beyond conflicts into creation and productivity. Rather than lock your mind into tough times, you can choose moods that inspire discouraged peers who may be stuck in myths.
Consider neuro discoveries that rejuvenate an ordinary day into extraordinary outcomes – and watch your brain follow. No wonder top schools are beginning to teach brain science at school.
What new neuro-discoveries could offer new awareness to your moods, so that others find spaces to grow around you when their chips are down?
Identify that good mood chemical and electrical circuitry for your brain, and you also choose daily how to remap that mood for benefit to boot!
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Hi Ellen,
While reading your piece, I was thinking how our energy levels are connected to this concept of the impact moods have on our behaviour. When it comes to the workday, we often make the presumption that we’re able to be consistent and regular in our energy and moods from 9 to 5.
However, as most of us know, we all deal with mood changes and energy highs and lows throughout the day. And yet, few of us make the connection to how it can impact our perception of events/interactions with others, or even what we communicate to others.
Thanks for sharing some of the neuroscience behind this, Ellen.
You said it so well, Tanveer. The idea of choice (while not an easy one often) is a delight when you consider that some folks come to work with a propensity toward good moods because they have a chemical and electrical make-up that generates these, while others have to work hard to rewire the brain for moods that foster well being in themselves and others.
Luckily – we now know that one can even rewire the brain beyond one’s natural DNA for moodiness – and that can come over time with acting as if moods were not central to our choices. The action of good moods and all the positive body language that results – is what reboots the human brain for new neuron pathways to better moods.
It’s a pleasure to discuss this key topic with leaders like you Tanveer, and it’s also fun to see new facts that impact and improve moods in all of us:-) Stay blessed!
Thanks for making the day rock for others so often Bob. Your positive moods inspire us all! Ellen
Rock and Roll Thursday, Have a Great One!