“And people are moody, dude. You gotta get used to living with people.”—John Green
Moods, by their nature, ebb like the tides. But those tides can vary enormously from just a slight shift to an overwhelming surge. Throw in a distant earthquake, a hurricane or some other disturbance and the tide can become a tsunami. And devastation can follow in its wake.
Chemical dependence exacerbated our mood swings. Our addiction pitched a dizzying array of curve balls, fast balls and sliders at us, with scant regard for our mental health—let alone the well-being of others. Depending on the chemical, we could blaze up into angry tirades, withdraw into sullen silences, sink into depression and despair—or pivot into exuberant displays of manic joy. And the deeper and longer we progressed in our disease the more dramatic the swings…
In recovery, we take care to set up early warning systems to alert us to potential mood swings. However, the triggers can be so sudden sometimes, that we need to have the built-in resilience to surf those surges without being dragged down and possibly drowned.
We can’t afford to be lulled into a false sense of security when it comes to moodiness. There’s just too much volatility and unpredictability within ourselves and others. The best defense is to build our spiritual strength and work on our inner balance. For moodiness specializes in the surprise attack. It can be on us before we have the extra breath to cry for help… Staying closely connected to our support group can be a tremendous help in building up those spiritual reserves.
Today, let’s look back at a recent mood swing—either our own or someone else’s—and how we handled the challenge of that swing. Did we take the shift too personally? Were we resentful, afraid, dispirited, offended? It helps at this point to remind ourselves that by their nature these moods are very temporary. Let’s hold steady in our spirits and smile away our worries…
Speaking of our inner smile—let’s use that as a wonderfully effective method to wash away the debris on the beach of our being:
Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Close your eyes. Good. Now, put a light smile on your face. Feel your cheeks raise up in response to that smile. Inhale and bring your attention to the top of your head. As you exhale, let your smile wash down through your whole body until the smile reaches your toes. Feel the smile permeating every cell in your body. And feel every cell smile back at you—as your kind attention bathes them in relaxing relief. Pause for a moment and feel the calmness spreading through your being. You may feel your smile broadening in a natural way from all the pleasant sensations you’ve released within yourself… Repeat for another nine cycles, or until you feel complete.
I smile as I watch my worries wash away into the ocean of acceptance.