Are you feeling the post-holiday blahs? Do you struggle with irritability and a general bad mood? If so, you’re in the right place, because I’m going to share 5 proven ways to boost your mood every day so that your kids can see your smiling face.

I’m sure it’s no secret, but a parent’s irritable, bad mood can have a negative impact on their child’s mental state. As it turns out, it’s also not good for your own health. Anger elevates your blood pressure. Arguments slow healing time. Chronic high levels of stress is linked to various diseases. Let’s be real, though. Modern motherhood offers us plenty of stressors, and there are lots of reasons we could choose to be sour. How do we kick the bad moods and set a joyful climate in our homes?

Get the Right Nutrition

I hate to even type that out because I know it’s so obvious and has been stated a billion times, but are we heeding this advice that we’ve heard so much? Most of us aren’t. In my opinion, we get sort of glassy eyed when we hear advice so simple as exercise and eat well, and many moms think there simply isn’t enough time for that. After all, we’re stretched to the max already, and there’s barely time for a good hot shower most days, much less the time and mental space to get in a workout or plan and prepare nutritious meals. I get it! This is really a mindset issue though, and we need to prioritize this most basic form of self-care, caring for our bodies and minds. If it’s important enough to us, we can find the time to make it happen. It’s a choice.

So start small. Vitamin B12 and other B vitamins play a role in producing brain chemicals that affect mood. Make sure you’re getting enough B vitamins and consult your doctor if you think you may be deficient.

Write

Thoughts have a powerful effect on our moods, and if we have negative or worrisome thoughts on loop in our minds, it can cause chronic mood problems. For years, practitioners have journals, logs, and other writing forms to help people heal and move past their limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns. Try a daily practice of writing. Release your negative thoughts onto paper. This can help you see the problem more clearly and help you identify patterns. From there, you can work on replacing those negative thoughts with something more uplifting and positive.

Just as importantly, if not more so, is writing daily about what you are grateful for. We’ve all heard about the benefits of gratitude, and yet this is another area that most of us just aren’t prioritizing. Life is created in our daily habits. When we change our habits, we will see real progress toward becoming the parents and people we want to be.