The day started with a thud. Tripping over the foot of the bed where a pillow fell to the floor, I found my foot hitting the bed’s leg. My toe, aching, and my limping body went to the bathroom, checking for blood. All clear, I lifted to toilet lid, to have it crash to the floor; the creaking final straw broke as the back came apart.
At this point, I was wide awake. My first words, “really?” rang out. Nevertheless, I stumbled upstairs for my decaf coffee, as I am forbidden by my heart doctor to have any caffeine for the rest of my life.
Besides, I realized it’s the flavor of coffee, which gives me motivation anyhow. Soon, I am dressed and ready to head to work. I pick up my bags, put them in the truck, and remembered my water on the counter. I go back inside and get it. After I am in the truck, I realize I forgot my planner. I return to the house. Mind you, I have been trying to leave for over half an hour when I said out loud, “Could this day get any worse?”
Yes, yes it could.
My car’s radio began emitting a high whining sound, which grated on my nerves all the way to the office. Someone cut me off in traffic, because they couldn’t wait 2 seconds, and my coffee (cherished decaf), which I neglected to put into a travel mug, spilled on my lap. At this point I began laughing. What a day! And it had only just begun!
No matter how hard you try, bad days are going to creep up every now and then. While you can’t control the events, which happen to you, you can control your reactions. You can also help a negative situation by taking action to fix the problem. You do not have to succumb to the negative energy. Release it like the ashes of a new day.
Your first job is to accept the fact: Your day has turned out rather dismal. Once you realize this, you can consciously decide to drop the negative focus. Letting negative emotions spin around in your head makes your day worse. Negative begets negative.
Much like a hamster couple I once was given, who were supposed to be both females. Soon, they produced little squeaks and the female began chasing, chewing, and terrorizing the male. Now, I had to find a home for 12 little faces, not just two. In other words, my life was more complicated. The more negative stacks you place in your life the worse it becomes, and the harder it is to get yourself righted.
Remember, bad days don’t last unless we give them power.
Try some of the following ideas for turning your bad day around:
Find a relaxing activity. A bad day is likely to cause you to tense up and feel stressed out. You can fight this feeling. If you engage in something you find relaxing, such as prayer, meditation, reading, or going for a walk, you’ll notice your negative mindset more relaxed.
Both my home office and work office have diffusers for essential oil. I have three scents:Stress Relief, Meditation, and Defense.Each one lifts me up when I turn the lighted machines on and relax in the scents.
Recently I put a diffuser in my living room and the scent helps me continue to be relaxed as I write. I change up where I write often so as to keep my brain fresh. The scents help me to focus on something outside of myself. The same with music. I put on gentle folk music, classical guitar, or soft jazz to keep my mind in a state of chillax (my own word).
Talk it out. You might enjoy the release of telling your problems to someone else. Seek out a friend and vent a little. You likely don’t even need advice, but rather a sounding board to listen while you let out all the negative feelings that have built up over the course of the day.
Sometimes, in the midst of telling someone all the things, which went wrong, we end up laughing. Once a friend told me, “Oh my gosh, you need to write a book! People would be laughing!” I didn’t write the book, however, I did journal often when life threw bad days my way.
Think of what went right. Take a moment to count your blessings. Yes, you’re having a bad day, but there are also many things to be thankful for. Shift your attention to something you like about your life, like seeing your kids happy or spending time pursuing your favorite hobby.
Remember,where our focus goes, our energy flows(Tony Robbin’s quote). How true! If you keep focused on the negative, your energy will follow you down a rabbit trail of disappointing moments.
Be mindful of negative self-talk. Just because you are not saying it aloud doesn’t mean your brain didn’t hear you. What you think, say, or do affects the negative energy in your body. Focus on the positive things you enjoy. Did you get a silly text? Someone told you a good thing that took place? Or maybe you were able to lift up a friend. Focus on the positive and your energy will rise.
Take a nap. If you’ve got the time, maybe a little catnap will improve your day. It could be like pressing the reset button on your day so you can start again when you wake up from your nap. If you can’t take a nap, practice starting your day over through deep breathing techniques.
Practice the pause. Pause, shake the dust of negativity off your arms. Put on some bouncy happy music and get up and dance for 90 seconds. If you can’t stand (leg issues, low back, etc. or you are in a wheelchair) you can still make noise and bounce with your upper body. The same energy will propel you forward! Trust me, you can change your outlook by either resting or dancing.
Treat yourself. While you don’t want to get into the habit of indulging yourself every time something bad happens, if you’re having an especially bad day, you probably deserve it. Take yourself out for ice cream, chocolate, or a favorite treat of your choice.
A sugary snack will help improve your mood and make you more upbeat. Be careful not to overdo it! Our brains associate treats as a reward. If we begin finding negative things too much, we will end up creating a path in our brain which gives us permission to eat too many sweets, which can bring us into a rebound. Sugar high, depressing low. Use it like a treat, not a staple.
Do something nice. A bad day might make you want to sulk in the corner. And the worst thing you can do is give in to sulking or pouting. No one wants to be around you, and heck, you don’t even want to be around you! Give yourself permission to go do something different.
If you enjoy crafts, visit a store and see if you can gather inspiration from the supplies. Or find someone who needs uplifting, and do something nice for them. If at the office, leave a sticky note for others to read and feel lifted. Create a gift or a card to send to someone. It’ll help to get your focus off of your situation, while you’re doing something positive for someone else.
Write it down. Writing is a great way to release your emotions. Write a letter or email to someone you love. It may help you to vent and catch up with someone. Journal writing is another option. As you write, your brain allows you to let go of your negative thoughts without anyone else ever reading them.
I found writing it and subsequently burning the paper (safely) helps to send the ideas out into the abyss of negative days and embrace a fresh start.
Your brain will face the next challenge knowing you have a strategy to tackle the thoughts and feelings. Remember, feelings are neither right nor wrong, they just are. If you can acknowledge them, allow them to flit away, you’ll feel stronger and more able to face what presents itself.
You do not have to succumb to the negative energy. Release it like the ashes of a new day.
The next time you encounter a bad day, use these simple tips to turn your frown upside down and make the most of the day. Your brain remembers what you tell yourself. It hears everything you think and say aloud. Your brain will store resources to debate the negative if you provide tools to overcome the tough days.
Remember, bad days don’t last unless we give them power. The more often you challenge your mind’s thinking the faster you will overcome the feelings and you’ll be walking with a spring in your step and a joy to the tilt of your voice. Not to mention, your smile will attract others and lift them up.
Who knows if they were having a bad day, too.
~Just a thought by Pamela
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Previously Published on Medium
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