My Mood Swings Are Making Me Dizzy

I have a confession. At times I can be moody.

I’m sure this is no surprise to people who know me.

So what does it mean to be moody?

A moody person experiences frequent and unpredictable changes in their emotions and behavior, often becoming angry or depressed without warning. They might be friendly one day and aloof the next, making them seem "hot" or "cold" to others. "Moody" is often used as shorthand for "unpredictable".

Several years ago when I was going through a background investigation for a security clearance, the investigator interviewed someone that knew me. I was stunned when I read the interview later. She told the investigator that I was a moody person and she never knew what mood I would be in. She also didn’t recommend me for a security clearance. I did get the clearance but what this person didn’t know was she was also a moody person herself and I wasn’t particularly fond of her.

As painful as it is to admit, my mood is something I have to constantly work on. My mood can change drastically and many times I don’t even realize the mood I am projecting.

Yeah, it’s annoying to be me sometimes.

Regrettably I have often been told that I am a moody person. It certainly isn’t anything I am proud of.

Can these mood swings be controlled? You would think so.

The most common thing a moody person is asked is “what’s wrong?” Honestly there are time I don’t even know what’s wrong or why I am in a mood.

If I were to examine what causes mood swings for me and others, these would be the reasons:

Physical pain
I can tell you that nothing affects my mood more than being in physical pain. When I am in pain, I want to get rid of the pain and I don’t want to have much interaction.

Climate
If the temperature isn’t right - especially if it’s too hot - my mood can take a turn for the worse. My mood is usually better in climate-controlled conditions.

Hangry
This is probably a common reason my mood can change especially if my blood sugar is getting low.

People
I try to get along with everyone but there are some which aren’t a good fit. Even when I try to like them, my mood can show through.

Anxious
When I am stressed or anxious about something my mood can get rather intense.

Unknown
Honestly there are times that I have no idea why my mood is changing. I have even asked myself why am I in a bad mood.

Let me be clear and say I am not excusing my moods I am just giving the reasons for them.

I am improving (though not cured) in identifying and correcting my moodiness. When I sense the mood swinging I take a moment and reset. Sometimes this works sometimes it doesn’t. It’s a work in progress. I still have to apologize a lot for my moods.

Thankfully I am glad I have people around me that know me and who know that I have these moments. I know I don’t make it easy on them. I am working on me which isn’t an easy task.

If you a have a moody person in your life, try to cut them some slack. Talk to them and try to find out why they are moody without arguing. Suggest ways the person can reset and refocus their mood.

Seeing Jesus in Everyday Life

I am currently reading the novel “Seeing Jesus” by Jeffrey McClain Jones which tells the story of a guy that starts seeing Jesus.  No one else can see him.  This experience creates some interesting scenarios as you can imagine.

 

Although I don’t physically see Jesus like the character in the book does, I have learned to relate to Jesus as if I’m talking to you.  Yes, sometimes I don’t realize I’m talking to him out loud so I’m sure others think I am talking to myself.  That’s fine since most people have phones or buds in their ears talking to others not seen.  (Maybe I should get some ear buds too.)

 

I grew up in a church which made praying to God some supernatural experience as well as very loud.  I have known people who would yell and scream to God in their prayers.  Some would speak in tongues as if this was some sort of magical communication with God.  You don't need those methods to communicate with Him.  God can hear a thought or a tear.  My own personal experience changed after a visit to a monastery several years ago, my relationship has evolved into a more personalized interaction.  That experience totally changed me.

 

So, yes, I talk to Jesus and I also try to listen to Him which is very difficult to do.  The listening part is difficult because there is a challenge to separate Gods voice with your own.  It’s like tuning in the right frequency on the radio.  There is a lot of noise and interference around us so that takes constant practice.  Honestly I don’t always hear correctly but I’m trying.

 

Many days if I’m walking down the street to run errands I will talk to Jesus about the needs of friends and family members. If I know your need, I am talking to Him about it.  That’s how my relationship is with Him these days.  

Whether or not you believe it doesn't change anything for me. I know He is with me.  Do I think I’m something special?  No and I still get it wrong.  

Am I crazy to believe I can talk to God?  You may thing so but you aren’t me and you haven’t lived my life.  Make whatever assumptions you want to make but Psalm 16:8 says: “I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.” 

It is absolutely okay to talk to God as you would a friend. This kind of interaction fosters a sense of closeness and intimacy with the divine. It's about approaching God with honesty and vulnerability, sharing your thoughts, feelings, and concerns just as you would with a close friend. 

Prayer doesn't have to be some mystic or weird practice.  You don't have to be in a church to do it or label yourself as any specific denomination.  You and God.  That's it.  You don't need all of the other stuff or books that give you 10 ways to talk to God.  You just do it.  It isn't complicated but it does take practice.

 

The Work-Life Balance Scam

I have heard people talk about work-life balance but I think it's a scam.   To put it bluntly, I'm tired of working so much and not enjoying life.  There is no such thing as a work-life balance when you have responsibilities and have to pay bills to live.

I worked 38 years as a government employee and retired but I am working harder and more now than I ever did before.  I'm convinced there will never be a true retirement for me.  The politicians are going to totally deplete any social security I have been paying into it my entire working life.  So, I will be working until I can't anymore.

Depressing?  Yes, it can be.  I try not to think about it or get too worked up about it.  There's not much I can do about it anyway except to continue to play the lottery and try to enjoy my life as much as I can between working hours.

I don't know what a work-life balance is supposed to look like.  I think the traditional Monday-Friday 9-5 job is ridiculous.  You shouldn't have to work so many hours.  There are 168 hours in a week.  If you work 40 hours of that week then sleep an average of eight hours a night then you are only left with 72 hours at the most to enjoy life.  A person should NEVER have to work more than living their lives yet that's the world we're in and some, sadly, have less non-working hours because they are working more than one job just to support their families and to survive.

Don't come at me with a work-life balance.  It's a scam.

So, you may think I hate my job by writing this.  Not true.  I love my job, the company I work for and my co-workers but it shouldn't be my life.

What would the ideal work-life balance look like to me?  Let's start with a 4-day, 8-hour workweek.  At least get the time close to half of our weekly lives.  I have found that I usually need one day to run personal errands and then another day to enjoy myself.  A weekend isn't enough to do that.  

The idea of the 40-hour work week was coined by Robert Owen in 1817 during the Industrial Revolution.  The phrase "eight hour labor, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest" was the ideal with those who worked in factories.  At the time, individuals worked nearly 100 hours a week.  In 1936, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act which established the standard full-time employment of a 40-hour work week.  

Somewhere that work-life idea has gotten out of balance.  Eight hours of work expands to 9-10 and if you have a commute, that adds another hour or more.  By the time you eventually end the work part of your day, you are mentally, emotionally and physically wiped out.  There is nothing left for anything else.  

Somehow I am stuck in this place where I have other work to live.  I know I am not alone.  There is more to live than this yet here we are.  Getting ready for another shift.  I don't expect the work-life balance to be 50-50.  That's unrealistic but I would like to see more flexibility in the work-life management.  Our companies depend on us to get the work done and we should be committed to that but we must also do a better job to find a better balance.