Unlucky to Lucky

From Wikipedia: A mood is a relatively long lasting emotional state. Moods differ from simple emotions in that they are less specific, less intense, and less likely to be triggered by a particular stimulus or event.^[1]

Moods generally have either a positive or negative valence. In other words, people typically speak of being in a good mood or a bad mood. Unlike acute, emotional feelings like fear and surprise, moods often last for hours or days.

Mood also differs from temperament or personality traits which are even longer lasting. Nevertheless, personality traits such as optimism and neuroticism predispose certain types of moods. Long term disturbances of mood such as depression and bipolar disorder are considered mood disorders. Mood is an internal, subjective state, but it often can be inferred from posture and other behaviors.

Etymologically, mood derives from the Old English mōd which denoted military courage, but could also refer to a person's humour, temper, or disposition at a particular time. The cognate Gothic mōds translates both θυμός "mood, spiritedness" and ὀργή "anger".

According to psychologist Robert Thayer, mood is a product of two dimensions: energy and tension.^[2] A person can be energetic or tired while also being tense or calm. According to Thayer, people feel best when they are in a calm-energy mood. They feel worse when in a tense-tired state. People often use food to regulate mood. Thayer identifies a fundamental food-mood connection^[3] , and advises against the reliance on food as a mood regulator. The low energy arousal coupled with tension, as experienced in a bad mood, can be counteracted by walking. Thayer suggests walking as a means to enhanced happiness.

A recent meta-analysis found that, contrary to the stereotype of the suffering artist, creativity is enhanced most by positive moods that are activating and associated with approach motivation (e.g. happiness), rather than those that are deactivating and associated with avoidance motivation (e.g. relaxation). Negative, deactivating moods with an approach motivation (e.g. sadness) were not associated with creativity, but negative, activating moods with avoidance motivation (e.g. fear, anxiety) were associated with lower levels of creativity.

So. What's with moods anyway? Can I be consciously in a good mood and subconsciously in a bad mood?

Don't feel creative, rather - tired and out of gas.
I feel faithful and safe, but not so motivated.

Luckily, I ran 2 miles yesterday and I hope to go to the gym again tonight. According to Wikipedia's Thayer, exercise is a healthy mood regulator.

Unluckily, by the time I left work, ran, got groceries, put away groceries, fixed dinner, cleaned up dinner, and sat down with a glass of wine... I had no spunk left in me to clean my house. I bent down to hug Little and love on her.... and Maisie charged me, tried to steal the love from Little and in the process smacked me in the nose with the back of her head so hard I saw stars. The wicked, throbbing headache that followed really put a damper on the rest of my evening.

Luckily, my schnoz is hard as a rock and is still in one piece today.

Unluckily, I still have a pulsating headache and a house to clean.

So. It's time to turn the day around. There's no better time to change my mood than NOW.

Lord, give me patience and insight.
This is the day that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice and be glad in it.
I will rejoice that I have a house to clean.
I will rejoice that I have a spirited dog.
I will rejoice and be glad in it!

I hope your unluckies turn into luckies today.