How to understand your moods

1. 01Rule out the boring causesSleep, food, alcohol, movement, daylight, hormones. A remarkable share of existential dread is a missed night's sleep.
2. 02Keep a two-line logMood out of ten and one sentence on the day. Two weeks in, patterns appear that felt invisible in the moment.
3. 03Translate the feeling into a needIrritation often means overcommitted. Flatness often means unseen. Ask what the mood is protecting you from.
4. 04Give sadness a containerAn hour, a walk, a piece of music that matches it. Feelings given room usually shorten; feelings denied expand.
5. 05Don't make decisions from the bottomNote the impulse to quit, text, or blow something up — and diarise it for three days later.

General educational information, not legal, tax, medical, or financial advice. Rules vary by country and change over time — verify with a qualified professional before acting.