Journal Prompts to Help You Create a Mood Rescue Plan

Being stuck in a bad mood, a sad mood or even just a weird funk can make it hard to get through anything.

Having a list of things, you know will help your mood, can speed up the feeling better process. Especially, because in the moment of struggling it is hard to think of the things that will help. By creating a list ahead of time, and then keeping it easily accessible, all you need to do is read the list and pick something out.

The more things on the list the better, because sometimes you may need more than one thing to shift your mood. And you may not always be able to do everything on the list. For example, if petting your dog helps but you are traveling for work then you can’t do that!

The following prompts can help you think of things for your list.

journal prompts for mood rescue plans

I feel better when….

For this, think of things you know can quickly shift your mood. For example, I know that physical movement will help change my mood. For me just about any form of movement helps. But you may find only one type of movement helps you. So, be specific when listing out what works. The more detailed it can be the better for shifting your mood.

I function my best when…

With this you want to think about what is in place when things are going well. For example, maybe things go smoothly when you have an organized office. You can add this to the list. Then on a bad day, seeing this you may realize your office is a mess! So, you can organize it and feel better.

What do I do that makes me lose track of time?

Sometimes getting lost in a favorite activity can help. Think of things that when you are doing them you forget everything else.

What makes me smile?

What makes me laugh?

With the two above, think about when you laugh and smile. And which of those you can easily call upon. For example, seeing your kids play nicely may make you smile, but you can’t always rely on them to do that exactly when you need them to! In fact, they might be the cause of your bad mood!

Instead, you may also smile when you get fresh flowers. This you can more easily do in the moment, without needing someone else to cooperate.

Side note: you can still add people to your list, like calling a friend. But make sure you balance it out with things you can do yourself. The more you can self soothe the better off you are.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • My office is organized.
  • I am in nature.
  • Taking a walk.
  • I take the kids swimming.
  • Watch re-runs of my favorite show.
  • Talk to my friends.
  • Read a book.
  • Listen to my favorite music.
  • Journal about my feelings. 😉
  • Doodle or sketch.

Some things that help might not come to mind while you’re journaling — that’s totally normal. Start paying attention to what helps in the moment and keep updating your list over time.

Here are some ideas of where to keep your list: a notes app on your phone, printed out and posted on your refrigerator or right by where you find yourself when you are struggling. If you always end up on the couch, put a printed list nearby.        

These small actions may not help you completely solve any bigger issues you are going through. But they will help you take control of your own wellbeing – and that is the first step in making any progress.

Bonsu idea: if you are feeling bad because of an unexpected emotion here are some ways to overcome those unexpected emotions. https://andreabelzer.com/how-to-overcome-unexpected-emotions/

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