“Never regret a day in your life. Good days give happiness, bad days give experience, worst days give lessons, and best days give memories.”
How do the words above resonate with you?
Pause here for a moment and free yourself from distractions:
Take a deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... calm your mind and be present...
Think back to a recent bad day...
How did you handle it? Visualize the moment... be honest...
Did the telemarketer, grocery store clerk, or the stranger who bumped into you get a tongue lashing...?
Were you sarcastic, nasty, or perhaps indignant is a better word, to an unsuspecting colleague or friend..?
Hijacked by 4-letter vocabulary you had once forgotten about...?
Flushed, fanned... blood pressure went up...?
No Patience, couldn’t think or focus...
Headache, migraine... totally exhausted...?
A snowball effect that led to zero on the productivity scale, and I can say with confidence, the day was not the one you want to be represented by.
Sound familiar?
We’ve all been there. Iyanla Vanzant shares these words of encouragement: from the book, Acts of Faith...
Life is a challenge! Our worth is measured by how we face those difficulties. If we are to grow and reach our fullest potential, we have no time to waste on bad days.
Today’s a new day, refuse to get off to a bad start.
Consider these research based strategies below to expedite recovery from a bad day. Be proactive!
How to Get Over a Bad Day
Whether your day was messed up by one terrible incident or a series of minor annoyances, a bad day can leave you feeling sad, anxious, and stressed out. You can start to get yourself back on track after a bad day by taking a little time to deal with your feelings.
1. Focus on your physical senses if you’re feeling stressed or anxious: Give yourself time to process the negative feelings you are experiencing. Take a few minutes to just breathe and focus on what you are seeing, smelling, feeling, and hearing. This will help ground you in the present moment and break the cycle of stress and anxiety. If you can, find a quiet space where you can be by yourself, without distractions.
2. Reflect on your emotions without judgment: Take a moment to identify and acknowledge what you’re feeling. Putting a name to your feelings can help them seem less overwhelming.
Think to yourself, "I’m feeling disappointed and mad at myself for getting a bad grade on that assignment."
Don’t try to judge or analyze your feelings.
Don’t tell yourself, "It’s ridiculous to be so upset about this!" Just make note of your feelings and let them be.
3. Try to identify the source of your negative feelings: Reflect on the negative feelings you are experiencing and think about what could have triggered your bad day. Try to label the source of your bad day in 3 words or fewer. For example: "frustration with Lisa" or "stress from clients".
Studies show that the simple act of putting your feelings into words can dramatically reduce the effect of those feelings.
4. Acknowledge that not all bad days have an obvious cause: Sometimes you may experience days when you feel down, anxious, or exhausted for no apparent reason. This is especially true if you struggle with issues like depression or anxiety. Remind yourself that you don’t need a reason to feel bad—some days are just more difficult than others.
If you can’t identify a reason for your mood, focus instead on helping yourself feel better in the moment
Have a drink of water or eat a healthy snack.
If you’re tired, take a brief break from whatever you’re doing and rest.
Try a few simple stress-relieving activities, like going for a walk, meditating, or doing a little yoga.
5. Share your feelings with someone you trust: It may be tempting to keep your dark mood to yourself, especially in a busy communal environment like the office or the classroom. However, connecting with other people when you’re down can help you feel better.. Reach out to a friend, loved one, or trusted colleague:
Say something like, "Hey, I’m having a rough day. Mind if I vent a bit?"
6. Remind yourself that what you’re experiencing is temporary: Remember that this bad day will not last forever, and neither will the things you are feeling right now.
Be patient with yourself and allow yourself time to be upset.
Tell yourself something like, "This day has been awful and I feel really down about it right now, but today won’t last forever."
Try to view tomorrow as an opportunity to start fresh.
What are your strategies for getting over a bad day without lashing out at the world? Can you add to the list above...?
“Just because today started as a bad day doesn't mean it has to end that way. Take action and turn your day around.” -Unknown
What are you willing to do?
Don’t miss your opportunity! Be intentional, encourage others to do the same and watch what happens.
You got this!
Coach Tavia
#declutteryourlife, #beproavtive, #learnandgrow, #responsibility, #accountability, #youmatter, #honoryourself, #live, #ownyourpower, #ittakescourage, #commitment, #thinkforyourself, #believe, #trustyourself, #beconsistent, #selfawareness, #selfdiscovery, #maximizeyourpotential, #shareyourgifts, #seizeopportunity, #becreative, #reflect, #reach, #stretch, #bepresent, #faith, #confidence, #dothework, #leadbyexample, #justdoit, #lifecoach, #leadershipcoach, #leadershipdevelopment
References:
5 tips for surviving a really bad day
How to Get Over a Bad Day
Vanzant, Iyanla; Acts of Faith: Daily Meditations for People of Color. Atria, New York, NY 2020.
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