Are you having a bad day? Is it one of those days when everything seems to be not working, or going in unexpected and overall annoying ways?
You will survive whatever happens to you today, as you have before. And to help with that, I list below 10 ways to flip a bad day into a good one (or at least a better one).
1. Breathe
I know. It’s not a groundbreaking discovery, but it does help. When anxiety comes your way and threatens your body and mind’s health, you need to stop whatever you’re doing and just breathe. Belly breathing, mindfulness breathing, or any other breathing technique can help you reduce stress.
2. Take a Shower
On any given day, having your space decluttered and organized helps to start projects with more enthusiasm – you don’t need to spend time figuring out where things are, you just know it. Something similar happens when you take a shower: if you’re feeling clean, you’re up for a fresh start and tend to have more energy to complete your tasks.
3. Work Out
You could also do a quick workout to shake the stress off your body. We don’t always have enough energy to work and play, but surprisingly enough, doing exercise can boost your energy levels and make you feel better, it even promotes better nighttime sleep.
4. Hug
Hugging reduces the risk of catching a cold, reduces your blood pressure, and can lighten up your mood, even on the worst days, according to this article. And this is something that can be easily proven: on a bad day, getting the embrace of a loved one, feeling their warmth through that hug, will hugely improve your mood and well-being.
5. Pet an Animal
Find your dog, cat, bird, or any other pet that’s in your vicinity, and enjoy their presence. One of the big lessons we can learn from animals is that they’re not worried about the future, they only live in their present moment. If you have a chance to pet them, do it! It’ll help you enjoy your peace and quiet.
6. Appreciate Nature
In the same vein as petting an animal, going outside, and enjoying the nature that surrounds you will help you with stress levels, mood, and satisfaction with life. It’s at the very core of your human nature. Going outside, watching the trees, the birds flying by, the blooming flowers, or the high blue sky, can help us to feel better in our body and mind.
7. Embrace It
A bad day will be always a bad day. Embrace it. Remember all the bad days you already survived, how strong you are, and, above all, that this too shall pass.
8. Constructive Self Talk
You could be your own worst enemy or your best friend. If you made a mistake, said the wrong thing, or didn’t accomplish anything today, it’s your choice to tell yourself “No worries, this will be solved soon” and come up with a plan. Or you can tell yourself “Why don’t I improve at anything?!” and succumb to desperation and self-inflicted guilt. Treat yourself with kindness.
9. Reward Yourself
It’s funny to put it that way, but it works! If you had a long, bad day, reward yourself with a bowl of popcorn while watching your favorite show, or take a walk with your dog – anything that makes you happy.
10. Get a New Perspective
Talking with a friend will allow you to vent and see if there are different perspectives about your circumstances. Maybe there’s another way to solve your problem, or a small detail you didn’t see because of stress. A good friend will encourage you to keep going if convenient, or will tell you why you need to stop – it’s all about choosing your battles.
Bottom Line
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters,” this quote, commonly attributed to Epictetus, is a great reminder that even if circumstances look grim, you have the power to change your mindset and react to them in the best possible way for yourself and the ones around you.
