Can you catch a bad mood?

Happify is an organization with experts and scientist who study happiness. They have determined that 50% of how happy a person feels is genetic. However, that leaves 50% up to us to decide. Emotions can be contagious just like the common cold. It’s no secret that certain people can make you feel more joyful and bring out a playful part of yourself that you like much better. In the same way, there are people who make you feel overwhelmed, anxious, and bring out a cynical side of yourself that puts you in a bad mood.

Our emotions synchronize with each other. That means people in your social circle influence your wellbeing AND mood. With so many sources of information available today, we are inundated with people influencing our moods at all times. Our minds replay thoughts and moods of others we’ve come into contact with throughout the day. You may be an upbeat person most of the time, but if you’ve heard a lot of dismal, gloomy news between colleagues, news reports, and social media, it’s enough to turn what was a good day into a very bad, sleepless night. You wake up the next morning tired and crabby. Your mood may be more of a reflection of who you spent time with rather than what’s going on in your life.

If you want to improve and regulate your mood, these suggestions can help:

1. Pay attention to where you consume your news. The news, including social media, gets more attention when it’s negative. Be careful how much time you spend watching the news or scrolling through your news feed. Try tuning into more uplifting or humorous stories.
2. Do a quick review of your social circle. The people in our inner circle hold the most power to influence our moods. Do these people boost your mood or are they continually complaining about everything that’s wrong with their life? Taking a break from the complainers from time to time will help improve your mood.
3. Seek out mentors who remain optimistic and resilient in real life AND social media. Inspiring people lift our moods. Find people that lift others up instead of berating and criticizing others. They shouldn’t need to put others down to feel or look good.
4. When surrounded by negativity, join a group of new people. Finding even one positive person can begin shifting your mood to a more positive outlook. Attend lectures or join organizations with a higher purpose to find more positive people.

Part of self-care and being emotionally healthy is being aware of our mood and how we feel about our lives and our purpose. If you’ve been in a bad mood lately and feel out of sorts with yourself, begin tracking what you’re listening to throughout the day. Pay special attention to those closest to you. Keep your social circle balanced; it’s okay to have a few “crabby” friends but have at least two upbeat friends for good emotional health.