Some people believe that any thought tied to emotion that we think and feel for more than 15 seconds starts to connect up with all the other times we felt that way. This can be true for painful memories, too, so focusing on something painful may bring up other times we felt that way, and may reinforce those feelings or make us feel worse.

Sometimes, when we're feeling awful, we need to be able to shift our mood. Being able to shift our moods in the personal training industry is extremely important since our customers want to leave a workout feeling happy; rather than feeling awkward because of the vibe we are giving off. This is something we all can do with practice. A great example was used in our staff meeting this week. Kris had us all close our eyes and think of something that really pisses us off. Then he cranked up the volume and blasted some happy music and started dancing around like a jumping bean. Within seconds all the other coaches joined in and were all smiling. This just shows how fast we can change or emotional state with music.

The following are some techniques you can use to shift your emotional state to a lighter or happier one:

• Do something physical that requires concentration. Try balancing yourself on one leg, with your arms held high above your head. If this is easy to do, try a position that is harder for you to balance in, such as holding one leg straight out in front of you, or another pose altogether. Doing something physical that requires your concentration can help to shift your thoughts and mood. Also if a customer is grumpy, add some balance into their workout.
• Go for a walk, and temporarily change your environment. If you are inside, go outside for a nice little walk and pay attention to everything that surrounds you; especially the finer details. This way for your next training session, you’ll feel all refreshed.
• Close your eyes and think of a person or of people who love you. Try to see their faces clearly in your mind, their eyes smiling at you with love. Try to feel that love, and remind yourself that that person/people care about you, and that you are loved. Try to do this for more than 30 seconds at a time.
• Please use your sense of smell. I personally like to think of home baked goods. It clears the negative thoughts in my mind and fills it up with positive thoughts.
  Find a way to laugh: jokes, movies or tv, funny books, playing with your pets and watching their silly antics, being silly with a friend. Laughter is an effective way of changing your mood, and can help your body as well as your emotional state. Be a goof.
• Reframe your thoughts. Put 10 paperclips in your left pocket. Each time you have a negative thought, remove a paperclip from your left pocket and put it in your right pocket. See if you can keep all the clips in your left pocket.
• Change your body posture and breathing. Your body store emotions, and your body also often show how you feel—you might slump when you feel depressed or tired; curl inward or protect your abdomen/stomach when you're feeling vulnerable; tighten your hands, jaw, shoulders, or neck when you're feeling angry; breathe shallowly.
• Blast your favorite tunes and dance around.