Mood Follows Action

By Amy Goldberg

“The change in state that you seek is only a result of taking action.” I’m not sure who said that, maybe it came to me in a dream (I doubt it) and yet it’s a powerful and empowering realization. If you’re waiting to feel like doing something, you’ll probably be waiting an awfully long time if at all. So rather than rely on whether you feel like doing something or not, I’m suggesting that you should just do it. 

One example of this from an activity perspective is, I’m a runner. I don’t know if I like running as so much as I really love the feeling afterwards. I know for sure that I’m not leaping out of bed excited to go for a run, and yet I do leap to ensure that I head out the door and go. There lies the difference.

I’m relying on the feeling I have after I’ve warmed up and am about halfway through my run (the first half always feels like I’m slogging it out). The feeling I get is mood enhancing. It’s empowering. It energizes me. My body feels that it got a good workout. My mind is clear and focused. Did I mention that it gives me more energy, yes?

When asking yourself, “What’s most important to me in order to continue to lead a good life?” Apart from standard answers, for me it would be to have more energy. Having more energy allows me to give more to family, friends, and me! It enables me to do more things I enjoy throughout my day without feeling exhausted. It gives my body greater capacity to truly breathe properly. In a nutshell, it gives me the ability and capacity to do more. It also helps to keep me sharp and resilient in whatever I’m doing. With more energy comes the desire to want to do more. To experience more. To leap further and farther. 

Physical activity is just one example of the mood follows action idea. This idea will help to shift your mindset and decrease the desire to procrastinate or have self-doubting and/or sabotaging behaviors. It allows for flow to take place in your life. To say yes more to the things, you want to be doing without waiting to feel like doing them. Most importantly it keeps fear at bay. You’re, in fact, preventing yourself from leading with your fear and in turn making the decision to adopt a new mantra of; mood follows action.

I invite and welcome you to try this out for yourself. This week, do 3 things (3’s my lucky number) that will move you into action without relying on you waiting to feel like doing them.

For example, right here on HipSilver, try 3 things that will have you taking action. How about moving your body more with Jennifer Gibson’s Yoga Series and/or the Self Defense Series with Bob Martin. Maybe Organic Gardening with John Henry Cox. We all need to breathe! How about Breathing Techniques with contributor Richard La Plante. Get into some natural healing with Chef Robert Graham, MD, and his wife Julie. Those are just a few great ways to get moving into action.

As you’ll hear me say in almost every article I post - It starts with you. It must. No one will do it for you and why would you want them to - where’s the fun in that! Active aging means to recognize that as you and I get older we need to step it up a little bit more every time.

Starting with you doesn’t mean you’re alone in these actions. It means that you’ve taken the first step and your HipSilver community is with you all the way!

We are hip and silver.