Banish bad moods – forever!

Maybe it's Monday mornings, or your miserable boss, or missing the last pair of gorgeous shoes in the sales. Whatever the reason, we all suffer bad moods now and then - and research has found it takes 13 per cent of us between two and four hours to snap out of one.

"Mood is the biggest influence on our behaviour," says psychological health specialist Dr Liz Miller, author of new book Mood Mapping*. "But the type of person you are determines what's most likely to trigger grumpiness."

After five years of research, Liz discovered there are four key personality types, with each one having a different bad-mood button. Take our quiz to discover your type - then turn the page to give yourself a misery makeover!

THE QUIZ

SECTION 1 WHAT'S YOUR DREAM JOB?

Something challenging like a brain surgeon or politician (A)
Something creative, like making jewellery (D)
Something exciting - managing a band or setting up your own business (B)
Something where you can work with nice people, that isn't too stressful (C)

WHEN YOUR BEST MATE GETS DUMPED, DO YOU?

Set her up with two of your hottest male friends (B)
Tell her to snap out of it - there are plenty more fish in the sea (A)
Worry neither of you will ever find love (C)
Only find out four weeks later (D)

WHAT'S YOUR NIGHTMARE EVENING OUT?

When you're the one organising it (C)
Going to the local pub. Again (B)
Anything - you'd rather stay in and watch a DVD (D)
Being turned away from the hottest club in town (A)

IN A CRISIS, DO YOU?

Hide! (D)
Give yourself a day to sort it out (A)
Think of the worst possible outcome (C)
Write a list of 25 solutions and get cracking (B)

SECTION 2 - TICK THE STATEMENTS THAT APPLY TO YOU

I constantly think about the future (C)
I always think I could do better (A)
I'm easily bored (B)
I don't have many close friends (D)
I hate discussing emotions (A)
My to-do list never gets shorter (C)
I hate taking risks (D)
I never plan too far ahead (B)

IF YOU SCORED MOSTLY As, YOU'RE: INDEPENDENT WOMAN

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"Don't stop me now!" is your motto. Ultra-focused, you don't rely on anyone else to get a job done. You won't shrink away from a challenge, whether it's getting on that VIP guest list or landing a top job. But your high standards mean nothing and no one is ever good enough - including yourself.

BAD MOOD TRIGGER: Being a perfectionist. "Don't be so impatient," says Liz Miller. "You become your own worst enemy, piling on more pressure when you don't live up to your high expectations."

BEAT IT: "Create a 'stop' list," suggests Liz. "It's the opposite of a to-do list. Can you forget about the ironing? Replying to personal emails? Even if it's just for a short while, this gives you time to relax, putting you in a better mood to deal with what life throws at you."

Eve Menezes Cunningham is an expert in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), and specialises in helping people boost their moods. "Ask yourself: 'Will this matter in one week, one month, one year?'" she says. "Doing this helps put things into perspective about just what is - and isn't - worth pushing yourself for."

IF YOU SCORED MOSTLY Bs, YOU'RE: ACTION GIRL

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The life and soul of the party, you're always looking for a new challenge or experience at work or play. Optimism is your middle name, making you uber-confident and ready to try anything.

BAD MOOD TRIGGER: Packing too much in. "You're the kind of person who thinks one's good, two's better and three's great," says Liz. "But you need to be less impulsive. While enthusiasm is a positive trait, you often end up exhausted by taking on too much."

BEAT IT: "Ditch your multi-tasking habit," says Eve. "Before you do anything, plan how long you'd like it to take and stick to it. That way, you can schedule your day more effectively." By doing this you'll also see if you're being over-optimistic, and putting too much on your plate.

IF YOU SCORED MOSTLY Cs, YOU'RE: CAUTIOUS CHICK

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Your caring nature means you hate seeing anyone unhappy. You're intuitive and pick up on everyone else's feelings - so after a chat with an unhappy friend, you can often end up more miserable than they are.

BAD MOOD TRIGGER: Anxiety. You not only have your own moods to contend with, but other people's too. "Being sensitive, you're easily overwhelmed," says Liz. "Instead of tackling fears, you keep mulling them over. This prevents you from being proactive, so you spend your time fretting, rather than facing worries and getting things done."

BEAT IT: To break the cycle set yourself easy tasks. "For example, tidy up a little corner at home," says Liz. "Doing something small will help motivate you and prove that things can be manageable." Taking on everyone else's misery won't help your mood. Leave notes to remind you around the house saying: 'Just because I can, doesn't mean I have to.'

IF YOU SCORED MOSTLY Ds, YOU'RE: BARRIER BABE

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Creative and romantic, you're happy in your dream world - but being so isolated puts barriers up around you. Risk of any kind scares you, and you can't relax unless you feel as though you're in control.

BAD MOOD TRIGGER: Shyness. "You're at the mercy of your emotions because of your inward-looking nature," explains Liz. "Often reluctant to turn to other people when you're down, it's hard for you to snap out of a bad mood."

BEAT IT: According to research by Harvard Medical School, happiness is contagious, so gravitate towards smiley people. A cheerful friend can raise your own happiness level by more than 60 per cent. The key is opening up to people, says Eve. "Practise becoming a more confident version of yourself with people you don't know. I recommend something called 'acting as if' - think of a role model who's confident and outgoing and simply act as they would. Adopt their mannerisms and body posture, say what they'd say. Doing this provides a subconscious 'safety cushion' when talking to strangers, which will help reduce shyness."

ILLUSTRATIONS: BARBARA SPOETTEL *PUBLISHED BY RODALE, £12.99

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