The Mood Switch: simple ways to shift how you feel (and what you do next)

Every decision we make depends on our feelings.
Every feeling we feel depends on our thinking.
Every thought we have depends on where we choose to focus.

And that’s how we change our lives - by learning to become masters of our focus.

When I wake up, I like to start walking, listening to one of my favorite podcasts.
Movement shifts my brain chemistry - dopamine starts flowing - I feel directed, purposeful, motivated.

People often say, “You can’t predict your mood.”

True.
But you can do things that change your mood.

You can walk outside. Go to the gym. Listen to music that makes you come alive. Talk to people who see the best in you.

Dealing with Feeling

Marc Brackett writes in his new book Dealing with Feeling:

Virtually everything that has ever happened in your life - good, bad, happy, sad, frustrating, satisfying, joyous, discouraging, depressing - was influenced by how you responded to your emotions… Nearly every time something went wrong it was because you had an unwise reaction to what you felt. How you dealt with your feelings.

I’ll go even further: Pretty much everything that has gone right in your life was the result of you having an intelligent, helpful response to an emotion you experienced. And nearly every time something went wrong—meaning whenever an outcome was not the one you wished for and did not serve your goals—it was because you had an unwise reaction to what you felt.

One of the biggest shifts happening in our collective awareness is this: we are responsible for how we respond to feelings.

We can’t control which thoughts or emotions show up. But we can redirect them. We can design environments, routines, and rituals that consistently trigger feelings that serve the life we want.

And no, the goal isn’t constant happiness.
Negative emotions aren’t enemies - they’re information as well.
The work is to notice them, understand them, choose to act wisely, and move on.

Instead of getting stuck in the feeling, making decisions that you later regret.

So, how do you deal with feeling?

Once you understand why you feel the way you do, and you decide you’d like to switch this feeling, there are a few ways that will help you to shift.

  • Movement. Walking, dancing, working out - any form of movement changes your brain chemistry. Dopamine is one of the key shifters. And as your brain chemistry shifts - your feelings follow.

  • Food. There's a reason why we have the words "comfort foods". They work. They change your brain-body chemistry too. Don’t rely on it as your main tool (especially when it cancels your long-term aspirations, or gets you addicted), but a cup of chamomile tea with honey, a nourishing meal, or even an apple can calm and balance you, can help you cope, while investing in your long-term health too.

  • Music. There’s neuroscience behind it, but you don’t need science to feel it. One song and your brain is already in a different state. What's your to-go tune for your uplifted vibe?

  • Conversations. With people who make you laugh, feel understood, feel like your best self. Social connection isn’t just nice, it’s one of the strongest predictors of long, healthy, meaningful life. So, don't be a stranger - who are you gonna call next time your vibe needs a transition?

  • Self-talk. The story in your head is a choice. Do you focus on being nervous before a big presentation? Or on the privilege of sharing something meaningful with a hundred people? Which focus helps you do your absolute best?

Feeling, every shade of it, is a message to help you thrive.

The emotional intelligence everyone is talking about isn’t in avoiding "negative", or "inappropriate" feelings. It’s in knowing how to deal with them so your life works for you, for the best in you.

Like feeling of hunger, all of your feelings tell you something needs your attention. And just like hunger, not every craving needs to be satisfied, needs to be followed for your best self and your best life to unfold.

Over to you dear reader, how are YOU dealing with feeling?