To me, moods are different than emotions. Emotions and feelings just come and go constantly and seem to be forever changing. I also am of the opinion that feelings cannot really be controlled. Moods, on the other hand, seem to descend and color everything—at least for me. They do not just come and go in constant bubbles like feelings, a mood or a bout with moodiness is like a thick heavy fog blanketing a valley—whether it is a good mood that makes everything seem sunny and easy, or a crabby mood that makes it hard to NOT snap at everyone who comes my way, moods and moodiness for a single parent can be something to be reckoned with.
Sometimes, I cannot figure out where my emotions come from or why they happen as they do. My moods, on the other hand, generally have a source. Yes, I confess that sometimes they can be hormonally induced or due to lack of sleep or the wrong diet, but there is still generally a morsel of *something* that I need to face and cope with in order to lift a negative mood. As for the positive moods, they generally have a source too but I am not looking to cure those!
I think it helps to admit to having a bout of moodiness—just saying it out loud and taking ownership is the first step for keeping moods and moodiness from controlling your life. I just say “I’m feeling in a funky mood and I’m not sure why” and then I can start to dig around and try to figure out what is going on for me. There are triggers and I do not always recognize them until it’s too late and I’m feeling moody. Accept responsibility for your moods, and have compassion for yourself as you work through. As single parents, our moods do not have to rule our lives and everything is always temporary (in other words, they will pass) but paying attention to what is really going on can help us to grow from the moody experiences and continue to do what needs to be done to take care of our families.