Can You Stand the Rain?

When it comes to correlations between weather and human psychology, science has compiled mountains of data that paints various conflicting pictures. Most data correlates more positive moods to milder, pleasant weather while negative moods are often, at least partially, attributed to more extreme or gloomy weather. Other data suggests that weather has a negligible impact on mood, if any. However, I am proposing that there is a different angle to consider here. There may also be a possibility that one can train their mind to adapt to any weather to produce the desired moods that will benefit them.  By saying this, I am not implying that you should merely trick your brain into being positive all the time no matter the weather. What I am saying is that there can be benefits to a wide range of emotions for which you can use weather as a trigger or enhancer.

Now, before we go any further I want to define what I mean by positive mood and negative mood for the purposes of this article. By positive mood I am referring to the uplifting, satisfying, or happy feelings one gets when they witness, experience, or are informed of something that they would consider to be “good news”. By negative mood, I am referring to feelings that make you feel more sullen and reflective on the unpleasant aspects of life whether it is personal or not. Again, the point of view to determine this is specific for each individual.

A cloudy, rainy day. A sweeping snowstorm. These may not be the most ideal settings for a positive mood, but it is perfect for a negative mood.  I know that the average person would likely think “why would I not want to be in a positive mood all of the time?”  While being in a positive mood more often than being in a negative one certain makes life more pleasant, there are many times when it is necessary to be in a negative mood. This especially holds true when you want to connect with the pain and suffering of your fellow human beings. Now, I am not saying that you should be standing by the window, staring at the rainstorm outside while wallowing in the miseries of others. What I am saying is that you can use that sullen mood as an opportunity to reflect on things such as the state of society.  Such a mindframe can help you get a better understanding of what others are going through by sincerely empathizing with them and their struggles.  Empathy is an ability that can be developed, but to do so requires moments of reflection.  And such moments often come more frequently during so-called “bad weather” as opposed to the carefree environments of sunny days. 

In addition to having empathy for others, so-called bad weather can also have the effect of being more likely to put you in a negative mood to reflect on yourself in more critical ways. Granted, this can take a detrimental turn if you let it. But if you take advantage of such opportunities to honestly look at yourself in the mirror and acknowledge the negative aspects of yourself that you feel need to be changed or improved, the negative mood can be an invaluable self-improvement tool. 

For instance, you’re stuck inside with no electrical power while waiting out a violent category 4 hurricane outside, and your mind begins to wander. Let’s say in your wandering you begin to think of all the personal tasks that you should have addressed previously but procrastinated to do so for various reasons.  And from there you lament on how much easier your life would be if you’d simply follow through with your tasks ASAP rather than procrastinate. Perhaps with the absence of any distractions in that scenario you reach a moment of clarity after dwelling on it for minutes or even hours. It hits you in a way that it hasn’t hit you before when we’re in a more positive, carefree mood before. Being in that sullen mood allows you to absorb and internalize the negative feelings you may have about yourself when you dwell on some of the more frustrating parts of yourself. Of course, this is just a hypothetical situation, but it’s outside the realm of reality.

Finally, I want to point out that at the end of the day, neither good weather nor bad weather is the ultimate determinant of how a person’s mood will swing.  Instead it depends primarily on the temperament of each individual. But weather has been scientifically shown to be a very effective agent as mood influencers and mood enhancers.  Being aware of these factors can help weather become powerful tools by which you can manipulate your mood to internally address issues (at either personal and non-personal levels) with the appropriate mindset.