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Personal growth: Why can our moods change so much day to day? October 3, 2018

Posted by Dennis Mellersh in Solving Problems.
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For a long time I have been puzzled by, and have sought solutions to the question of why we can be in a strong  “up” mood one day, and  yet on  the very next day we can be “down”, despite the fact that our life circumstances have been identical on both

For example, we can have a serious cash flow problem in our lives and be looking constructively for ways to solve the challenge.

One day the cash problem is perceived as a challenge that can be dealt with on a logical basis and managed successfully.

The next day, the same financial conditions can seem overwhelming and throw us into despair.

Since the circumstances have not changed, the difference in perception is logically the result of changes in our mood, an interpretation suggested by psychologist Richard Carlson. (1)

In addition to the obvious mental and emotional distress, our moods, whether too up or too down, can result in our making bad decisions, based on emotion rather than logic.

So, is there a way we can feel “up” on a consistent basis?

Or, is such an emotional state even possible?

(1) Discussed at length in his book, You Can Be Happy No Matter What.
 
Dennis Mellersh