Sometimes terrible things happen to you or you wake up feeling sad or bad. You feel hopeless about everything and all you want to do is scream or curl and cry or even both.
I get my share of those days, while I don’t find them funny, I find ways to get through them. One or more of these will certainly help you too.
1. Take a breath
Bad days are inevitable, you really can’t do away with them and it is easy to get sucked in each time you find yourself having one.
So, before anything else, breathe.
Whenever you get overwhelmed, either by your thoughts or things happening around you, always remember to take a step back and breathe.
Take 3 long breathes, feel the air go into your lungs and out again. Focus on your breath and acknowledge the moment.
2. Find out why
It is wise to figure out why you feel bad before doing else to get over the bad feeling, otherwise you’ll find yourself in a bad mood again and it becomes a cycle. This act informs your next move.
- When you don’t have a reason
There are times, you don’t have a reason to feel bad and that’s okay because you don’t always need one. Maybe you woke up feeling down, it’s okay because no one is always cheerful anyways. So, you don’t have to overthink it and give it a name when it doesn’t deserve one. Usually, sour moods that start out like this, don’t last that long. Some music, talking to someone (I don’t mean a counselor) and fresh air will get you through it.
- When you don’t know why
A lot of times, it’s something very little you may have missed that put you in a bad mood. Like tripping over a stone or your tea/coffee didn’t turn out great or you bumped into someone who hurt you in the past or whose face you don’t like (it isn’t cool to dislike a person’s face though).
Other times, it goes a little deeper than that. Are you upset with yourself? If yes why? Did someone/something else upset you? If yes, what happened?
When you’ve found out what the problem is, now ask yourself if it will matter a week or a year from now? If it won’t, then cheer up, play some music and let it go.
Put your emotions down on paper or talk to someone you trust about them. This will help you understand, accept and let go of your negative feelings in a much healthier way. Bottling it up and carrying on like nothing happened will not help in the long run.
3. Be grateful for the good moments
No matter how bad it gets, there’s always a silver lining. While it is healthy to accept your negative feeling, it is unhealthy to dwell on it, so don’t. There is a lesson there, learn it and be grateful for the process.
Look around you, there’s a lot to be grateful for. Even though you may prefer that a lot change for the better, while you are here now, be grateful for the life you have, your health, your home and your friends.
Find the good in the bad situation and go with that. The goal is to keep your perspective in a positive place.
4. Move your body
When you are having a bad day, laying in bed and feeling sad or sorry for yourself may seem very attractive, it isn’t going to get you out of it.
Now that you have figured out, understood and accepted the reason why the day sucks, it’s time to get up and move. Dance whether you can or not, take a walk around your neighbourhood or farther, to clear your mind. Do anything that involves moving around, it will give you a little rush and lighten up your mood.
Imagine the way you feel during or after any form of exercise, that’s what you are going for.
5. Do something productive
Having a bad day can make you feel unmotivated and unproductive. There is always a good chance that getting something done, no matter how little can brighten up your day.
So, read a book, clean your room or do laundry. Having a “this day sucks but at least I (insert what you did)” feeling could brighten your mood.
Remember: small wins add up.
Read: How to be productive when you feel unmotivated
6. Be your own best friend
You have people you call when you feel bad and people who trust you enough to call you when they are having bad days. It’s time to be that person for yourself.
Give yourself a pep talk, remind yourself that it’s okay to have a bad day and you don’t have to fall deeper into that hole. Remind yourself that you are a resilient person who’ve seen bad days and triumphed over them. Support yourself and take care of yourself because you deserve all the good things life has to offer.
Read: How to be alone and enjoy it.
“Even though I feel overwhelmed, I completely and deeply accept myself”
Yvette Ratshikhopha
More things you can do to get through a bad day
- Call a friend
- Read some motivational quotes
- Go for a long drive
Note to remember:
Life isn’t perfect, I’m not sure anyone promised you that it would be. So, brace yourself for the bad moments and enjoy every bit of the good moments. It is okay to cry when you feel like you need to, just as much as it is good to smile and laugh when you are happy.
When you adjust your perspective, you’ll see that the joyful moments are indeed more than the sad moments and if you find that it isn’t, it’s time to see/call a therapist.
Your life is what you make it, so make it great.
Are there tips with which you get yourself through a bad day, please share them with us
