Get Out of the Grumps

Grumpy days? Yep - I have them too!  These days, at this stage and age of my life, even with good health and no pain in my movement and exercise…I still get grumpy sometimes.  

This week started like that.  I was grumpy!  Grumpy to my people.  Grumpy to my friends.  Grumpy to my husband.  When I am grumpy the little things bother me with my head saying…

“why was the dishwasher not unloaded?”

“why is that car going so slowly?”

“why am I up at 5am doing this job when I could be asleep?”

Yep, I get it!  My quick response, as above, was to blame everyone else.  I used to do that, sit in it, and then stir it … eating chocolate caramels while I was grumpy; which really only made me eat more caramels.  

What changed?  My mindset. 

I know you might not like that word right now, because you are grumpy about something. 😂

But seriously, this is how my mind talks with me now with a little practice:

“Why is the dishwasher not unloaded?  Why am I angry about this?  What do I need to do differently to pivot here Jenny?” 

Deep breath. Sigh. 

“Ok. That felt a little better.  Take two more long looping breaths Jenny” 

OK, that’s better. 

“Now, what’s best here at this moment?  You get to decide.  Walk away from the dishwasher. Life will not end if it’s not unloaded right now.” 

Or call up and ask for what you need, “Hey there, can one of you please unload the dishwasher before dinner please?”  

See what I did there?! 

• I walked through it. 

• I talked through it.

• Took a minute to process it through some breaths and some positive self talk of letting it go or asking for help.  Two things that gave me a different outcome.  

The next time you need to get out of the grumps, try to TALK IT OUT with yourself.  It’s OK to have a conversation with yourself.  

Studies show that positive self talk affects your body from head to toe- mind, body and spirit.  And science-based evidence shows that when you start talking positively to yourself, you start to CHANGE your behavior.  And when you start to change your behavior, you crave the new habit.  

So, keep talking it out.  One minute, one hour, one day at a time. You got this!

Yours in Health,

Jenny