1Mood and weather are similar in several aspects. They both affect the outcome of your, both are predictable, both are passing in nature, and both can cause havoc to you and the environment. Fortunately, despite their many similarities, they differ, luckily, in one important thing — while the meteorological weather cannot be controlled, you can control your moods. Moods must not be taken lightly for they can have tremendous effect on your productivity, your personal and professional relationships. They can even impact your future, depending on what mood you are in.

How then do you control your mood to ensure that it is always in the positive mode? Here some suggestions to achieve this ideal state:

• Have a restful and sufficient sleep. One way to do this is to sleep in total quiet and complete darkness. This will avoid disrupting your sleep that may cause you to wake up the next morning feeling grouchy and irritable. Sleep experts have proven that light pollution from street lights and your neighbour’s house can filter through flimsy curtains or defective window shutters. They say that interrupted sleep can lead to depression.

• Maintain a healthy posture. Slouching deforms the spinal column that leads to health complications later. These can cause perennial pain resulting to a permanent bad disposition. Also, a bad posture is indicative of low self-esteem, pessimistic outlook, and loser mindset that emit miserable vibrations around you. Try to keep a conveniently erect, not rigid, posture at all times. Installing a body-length mirror will help you achieve this.

1• Be aware of the weather. Admittedly, there is nothing much you can do to stop this meteorological phenomenon but it can be predicted. If you know how much the weather can upset your mood, you can prepare and brace yourself to its effect. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Therefore, when you know a bad weather is the forecast, keep your interaction with others to the minimal to avoid unnecessary altercations and arguments. Confine yourself to activities that leave you much on your own like surfing the web, sound tripping with your headphones on, or going on solitary walks, if the weather permits.

• Colours affect your mood. It has been scientifically proven that certain colours trigger or evoke certain moods or emotions to different people. Generally, the following colours have the following effects on people: Warm colours such as reds, oranges, and yellows can be stimulating and energetic and may evoke anger to the extreme; on the other hand, cool colours such as blues, purples and greens evoke an emotional feeling of calm, or possibly to the extreme of sadness.

This belief on the effect of colours to emotions has been confirmed by long anthropological history. Notice how the colour red which is associated with danger and anger naturally makes the heart beat faster and how the calming effect of green is used to subdue anxiety in hospitals’ operating rooms. Therefore, if you want to achieve a happy disposition, avoid wearing anything black because it evokes death and sadness.
• Social media helps. Although social media has its good and bad effects, some good benefits it provides is helping combat loneliness, promoting friendship, and boosting self-esteem. Articles posted in social media can make you laugh, uplift your spirit, and motivate you to take action. But of course, just like anything else, you should use it in moderation. Be discerning on what you read or share in social media because they can affect you negatively as well. Heed Oscar Wilde’s advice when he said, “Everything in moderation, including moderation”.

• Enjoy money. Many have been brought up with the idea that money is the root of all evil, especially by those who do not have it. Money in itself is nothing but a symbol representing a certain value and there is nothing wrong with that. It depends on how you use it that it assumes a personality. Use it to oppress or harm others makes money evil; use it for charity purposes and uplift the lives of others, it becomes a blessing that brings joy to many, including you. Enjoy the benefits, luxury, and positive mood that money can bring.

These suggestions give you the power to control your moods that can affect your day, your relationships, and your life as a whole. Keep smiling — it is a sure way to switch your mood to a happy mode!