SELF-REFLECTION

The Anatomy of Mood

It’s the little things

Do you notice where you are when you are feeling motivated? What happens that gives your brain a surge of those feel-good neurotransmitters?

• Who are you with?
• Have you had caffeine? How much water have you drank?
• When was the last time you were on social media?
• What is in, or not in, your bank account?

I have had some exceptionally good days, and what I am paying attention to is — why? I’m curious. And mindful. How can I replicate it?

Wednesday. I have a hybrid on-campus and telework schedule as a college academic advisor. Today I am in the office. It is freezing in my office and raining outside. I go to Chipotle and Target on my lunch break. Target to get a sweater and Chipotle for a burrito bowl, because, the craving.

A couple of small, nice things happened once I got back to the office. I see my supervisor, who is usually in our office one time per week. It is nice to catch up with her — and I like her, so there’s that. Later, there were free cupcakes in the lobby for staff appreciation. One of my quirky coworkers went with me to get one. Then I had a sugar surge, quite possibly, and cleaned out my email box.

Thursday. I am preparing the house while I work from home as I will be leaving for a short trip in a few days. I empty my trash, clean random things around my space, and notice I feel uplifted as I rid myself of a lot of built-up clutter. I have six free life coaching sessions from our college Employee Assistance Plan, and I have my first session. I spend time watering plants and adjusting/repotting/trimming. Taking care of my plants is curiously mood-boosting — if they are doing well, that is.

In the evening, I meet up with my mentor and former supervisor, and a mutual friend for margaritas. This happy hour ends up being three hours long. I felt free to share and less inhibited.

Friday. I am back in the office for a half day. I am late for work, grabbing a Caribou Coffee on my way. I am not interacting much with coworkers, only seeing one person. But I did meet with two students in the office and three online. The appointments leave me feeling curious and inspired. I brainstorm with students, helping them come up with tactics to balance coursework and prioritize oneself while keeping up with personal timelines and goals. Speaking with students helps me to also be cognizant of how I am doing the same. Or am I?

One student wants to study fine arts in addition to finishing a two-year degree, then enter the workforce. Student appointments can be either draining or mood-boosting. Today was a mood-boosting day. But could that be the actual student appointment — or maybe my mood going into them? Or the residual feelings as one appointment melts into another, motivating me as I go?

Now I am at a bookstore that sells pastries, beer, wine, sandwiches, and coffee. I sit on an Adirondack chair in the sun, second drink in hand. My car is in the shop down the road. I just learned three things that need to be fixed. My car shop will fix them in three appointments so that I pay $375 each time and spread out the expense.

Cars are expensive.

At first, I was stressed with hearing the news — slightly skeptical that they did not catch this a few months ago when my car was last in the shop and cost me just under $1,200. This time, I transitioned fairly quickly to acceptance. Maybe it’s the personnel and their skills in telling clientele bad news. Maybe it’s the effect of the sun as I sit on the patio, getting work done and cider drank.

Tonight my friend from a former job is hosting a backyard barbeque. I am bringing radishes to roast on the grill and marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate to toast. I’m ready for the car to be done, but I don’t feel impatient at the same time — possibly because there is nothing I can do about it.

Many factors influence our days. And don’t get me wrong, I am not counting mental health out. I suspect there were a few things that came into play for me this week. I had mostly positive interactions with people. I had a good balance of either caffeine or alcohol in my system, so a bit of mood-altering chemicals, but not too much. The weather is getting chilly, and I had some moments outside. Weather transitions in the Midwest tend to motivate folks. I was actively journaling on these days, writing in my planner, and reading at least a few pages a day.

Life is what you make of it. Life is what you notice. And in the case of my week, nothing happened that was revolutionary or out of the ordinary, which makes me think —

If simple alterations can boost our day, how do we strategically implant positive habits and tweaks?