6 Creative Ways to Beat a Bad Mood
Does your daughter have trouble shaking off a bad day? Here are some fantastic ways you can help her to beat a bad mood before it takes over. (You might even want to steal a few of these for yourself!)
One morning in college, I was running late (as usual). I threw my hair up, grabbed one of those meal-replacement shakes, and sprinted to my car. As I was pulling out of my parking spot, I prepared to open my pitiful breakfast by giving it a good hard shake. Big mistake. Mount Vesuvius erupted chocolate lava all over my car. And I mean ALL over! I wiped the sticky, whey-scented shake out of my eyes to find chocolate covering the windshield, the seats, my purse, the freaking ceiling, and, of course, me. Honestly, I can’t even remember what I did after that. (But I’m guessing it involved lots of tears, curse words, and paper towels!)
I have to admit that I did not have a lot of great ways of dealing with bad moods when I was in school. But one way I did manage to learn to relax after a bad day was with creative hobbies. My friends in college were all incredibly talented, whether it was writing, music, or painting. I had so much fun learning from them and trying out the things they loved. I can’t say I was particularly good, but I really enjoyed trying and I always felt amazing after.
And science backs this up. The pros who research all the things have learned that creative hobbies are a great way to relieve stress and make people happier and more relaxed. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that the girls who could benefit most don’t really get into creative hobbies. Perfectionists tend to get intimidated by things they aren’t already good at. And Type A girls often get frustrated by open-ended activities that don’t have clear instructions.
But have no fear! I’ve amassed a collection of creative ideas that even the most Type A girl can get on board with. Next time your daughter has a genuinely horrible day, help her turn her mood around with one of these. (Bonus: These ideas will definitely help you out with your crazy days too!)
Image from querkles.net
1. Beat a bad mood by coloring
Really! Coloring is relaxing, fun, and a great break from our crazy packed schedules. Research has even shown that coloring lowers symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. If you’re picturing your daughter rolling her eyes when you come home with a coloring book and crayons from the toy section, no worries. The variety of adult coloring books available is mind-blowing (and gorgeous)! You can find books with anything from grown up illustrations from Beauty and the Beast to famous cityscapes from around the world. Check it out! (And buy one for yourself while you’re at it!)
Image from theodysseyonline.com
2. Buy her a journal
Journaling is an amazing way to deal with overwhelming feelings like anxiety and stress. It also helps teens sort out their thoughts so they can understand themselves better. If she’s not in love with the idea of writing “Dear Diary” style entries about her day, have no fear. There’s more than one way to journal!
Prompted journals
Prompted journals take care of writer’s block by starting her off with a phrase for inspiration and lets her to take it from there.
Gratitude journals
A gratitude journal can be as simple as jotting down a few things that were good or things she is thankful for at the end of each day.
Bullet journals
Bullet journals are getting a lot of attention. They are pretty much a Type A girl’s dream and a great way for her to keep track of her goals. (The picture above is a beautiful example.)
(PS: Whichever she chooses, make sure to promise you won’t ever read it!)
Image from target.com
3. Beat a bad mood by getting crafty!
Okay, crafting probably has a dorky reputation. But if you ask me, so do all of the best things in life (including, say, my minor Harry Potter addiction)! If your daughter is intimidated by the idea of grabbing some stuff from a craft store and just going for it, there are lots of kits available with instructions and everything she needs to DIY all kinds of things. I’ve seen kits for embroidery, weaving wall hangings, and making jewelry. (Sounds like a fun project to do together, no?)
Related: 9 Meaningful Ways to Spend Time with Your Teenage Daughter
Is your daughter feeling overwhelmed? Have her take my fun “Who Do You Turn Into When You’re Stressed” quiz!
She'll learn which TV or movie character she is most like when she's under pressure. PLUS, she’ll get personalized tips to deal with it.
Image from brit.co
4. Start a garden
Gardening is another hobby that probably doesn’t sound immediately appealing to a teenager. But girls I’ve worked with who tried it were surprised by how much they loved it! Gardening is great for stress and has even been shown to increase self-esteem. Container gardens are an easy way to start if she’s never tried it before. Flowers, herbs, and succulents are surprisingly easy to grow. (Plus, who doesn’t love having fresh flowers and herbs on hand?)
Image from brit.co
5. Take a fun online class
Most people think that artistic talent is either something you have or you don’t. And that’s really not true! Of course there are varying degrees of natural talent as with everything else. But just like any other skill, it can be learned with instruction and practice. I’ve seen classes online for sewing, watercolor, photo styling etc. Let her hop on one of those for a few hours of relaxing fun. She might even pick up a new hobby while she’s at it!
6. Beat a bad mood by baking
If you ask me, there is no problem that isn’t at least slightly improved by the presence of cupcakes. Baking is great because it’s fun to do together, you get to smell the amazingness while it’s in the oven, and then you get EAT it. As an added bonus, you even get to bring joy to others by sharing the leftovers. If that doesn’t make her day, nothing will!
