30 Journal Prompts To Reset Your Bad Mood Quickly

Do you ever wake up in a funk for no reason? I have! It’s like that saying “I woke up on the wrong side of the bed”–except I wake up on the same side of the bed every day so what’s with the bad mood? Bad moods happen to all of us from time to time, whether they happen right when you wake up or creep in as the day goes on. It’s a normal part of being human. However, staying in a day mood just because you’re in a bad mood? Not the move. The good news? You don’t need to be stuck there. Take a step back and reflect on why the heck you are in a bad mood. That is where journaling comes in! I love journaling when I need to take a deeper look into my life and mind. 

If you are in a bad mood and want to turn your day around, try these journal prompts to reset your bad mood!

Understanding your mood 

There are so many factors that will influence your mood on a daily basis. Certain things can put you in a good mood or a bad mood. Your mood is not just some random feeling (even though it may feel random sometimes). 

Taking the time to understand your mood really means taking time to understand all the things happening in and around you. What factors are present in your life that could be influencing you somehow? Often times when you slow down and start looking, you will see patterns. Like how you always feel grumpy when you are rushed in the morning. Or how you feel happy when you spend time with a certain person. 

Noticing the patterns helps you understand your mood! It doesn’t stop there though. Digging deeper into why those things make you feel that way is a great way to make changes in your life especially when you find yourself in a bad mood. 

If you can peel apart WHY you feel grumpy when you’re rushed in the morning you might be able to stop the bad mood before it happens. When you are able to realize that you start getting frustrated when you don’t get to eat your breakfast or when you start to misplace things because you’re rushing you can take a deep breath and recognize that those things are super annoying but they don’t need to ruin your day. You can take steps to “right the wrongs” by prepping a to-go breakfast or keeping snacks in the car. 

Common reasons you are in a bad mood 

As mentioned before, being in a bad mood is normal. No one is immune to a bad mood. Here are some common reasons you may be in a funk. 

Stress: any stress can cause a bad mood that lasts for a moment or is more chronic. Street from work, school, home, relationships, etc. are very common and big factors in your mood. 

You’re hungry: I swear I get hangry once a week. Hangry means you’re angry because you’re hungry. Sometimes you really do just need a Snickers (please say you’ve seen the commercials lol). 

Lack of sleep: getting enough sleep is crucial for your mood. If you are always waking up tired it’s not shocking that you are in a bad mood. You need sleep for brain function, physical health, and mental health. 

➡ Related read: 22 Products Every Wellness Girly Needs For A Better Sleep

Hormonal changes: everyone’s bodies have a lot going on inside! Whether you are getting your period, you’re pregnant, or just experiencing normal hormonal changes in your body, a bad mood can be a symptom! 

➡ Related read: 3 ways your mood is regulated by your hormones

Lack of exercise: moving your body literally creates happy chemicals for your brain! If you are not getting enough exercise you could be feeling a bit grumpy. 

External factors: things like the weather, your physical environment, the news, or the people you are around can influence your mood. 

Lack of self-care time: when you don’t set aside time for yourself to reset and recharge it can affect your mood. Everyone needs personal time to relax away from the always-connected, always-busy world. 

➡ Related read: How To Create The Perfect Self-care Plan

Journal prompts to reset your bad mood 

If you find yourself in a bad mood you can use these helpful journal prompts to get yourself out! Time to do a deep dive into your mind and figure out what is influencing your mood…

Journal prompts for processing your bad mood:

• What is making you feel this way right now?

• Are you holding on to any negative beliefs about anything right now?

• If your mood was a color, what color would it be?

• What happened leading up to your bad mood? Write a detailed account. 

• Did you wake up feeling rested and happy today?

• How did your morning go? How did it make you feel?

• Is this feeling familiar? When have you felt like this before?

• What is truly bothering you right now?

• Have you been taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally?

• Is your mood connected to something you can control? Why or why not?

• Where do you feel this bad mood in your body? (tension, heaviness, restlessness, etc.)

• Is your bad mood a build-up of small things or due to one big thing? 

• Is there something you are avoiding?

• Are you feeling upset at yourself or others? 

• Do you have any negative thoughts running through your mind?

Journal prompts for shifting your bad mood to something more positive:

• What is one thing you can do to be happier?

• What advice would you give a friend if they felt like this?

• What is something you can control in this moment?

• List 3 things you are grateful for despite your bad mood. 

• Write down ways you have recovered from a bad mood in the past. 

• What is something that has gone right today?

• Write down a positive affirmation you can use to reset your mood. 

• Will this bad mood (and the reason for the bad mood) matter in a week from now? 

• List 10 things that make you feel happy. 

• What would your life feel like if you always let your bad moods win? 

• How will your day/week/month feel if you focus on having a more positive mood?

• If you could snap your fingers and be in a good mood what would be different?

• What do you need right now to feel heard, supported, or understood?

• How can you take care of yourself on a daily basis? 

• What small thing can you do to physically feel better right now? 

Additional tips for journaling through a bad mood 

Journaling is such a powerful tool when you are experiencing any emotion! However, sometimes people get hung up on the act of journaling. Are you doing it right? What should you write? How long should you spend journaling? 

There are no right or wrong answers to those questions. Journaling is personal and therefore, you can’t do it wrong. 

But if you still need some guidance, here are a few tips to help you journal your bad mood. 

Write without judgment: your journal is a personal, sacred space. Do not hold back from yourself and don’t judge yourself. This is for you and no one else. 

Words aren’t the only way to journal: if you just can’t get the words out you can try drawing or doodling or even just writing point-form lists with words that mean something to you. As long as you feel a release of emotions while doing it, that’s all that matters. 

Create a comfy space to do this: journaling can be uncomfortable. Sometimes you will be digging into some deep dark places. Make the process of journaling more comfy by creating a warm and cozy space for it.

Final thoughts 

It’s pretty much impossible to stop bad moods altogether. You are bound to feel annoyed, frustrated, or just in a funk from time to time. It’s really about the bounce back. 

Figuring out why you feel the way you do is step one to getting out of a bad mood. Finding patterns and different influences for your moods is helpful in making change. 

And using journal prompts to dig deeper and ultimately reset your bad mood is the goal of this post! So, I hope you found a few journal prompts that stuck out to you. 

Happy journaling!

What do you do if you are in a bad mood? 

Until next time, 

Deanna