One of my son's favorite books is “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” by Judith Viorst. The book chronicles Alexander's bad day and while we can relate to the things that happened to him, he reminds us that things can always be worse. From not getting any dessert for lunch, finding out he has a cavity, having to watch kissing to being forced to sleep in pajamas with trains on them, his day was so bad, that he threatens to move to Australia, several times. The story is funny, but it reminds me that we all have some horrible, no good days.
So what can you do when you are in the middle of one of these days? Here are some ways to turn it around:
- Do something nice for someone you don't know or don't like- Finding a way to be kind and compassionate to someone you don't have a connection with is one of the best ways to brighten your day. Like the theory of practicing random acts of kindness, doing something nice for someone you don't always like can make your whole day feel better. Buy a cup of coffee for the person behind you at Starbucks or give the delivery person an extra large tip. Just taking the time to look for something kind you can do can stop your bad day in its tracks.
- Play with a child- When you come home and feel like your day couldn't get any worse, sit down and play a game with your kids. Something as simple as coloring or making Play-Doh sculptures can change your outlook. As adults, we don't really take the time to just play. Not only is this a great way to reconnect with your family, it can help you keep your bad day at the office.
- Be grateful- I know that it sounds cheesy, but taking the time to count your blessings really helps. I have been trying to take time out every day to appreciate where I am in my life rather than spending the same amount of time thinking about what I could do better or where I am lacking. When you start to think about your world from a place of gratitude, things just look brighter.
- When things feel chaotic, organize something- I am famous for cleaning counters when I am stressed. Just having some physical order and control can help when you are feeling overwhelmed by life chaos. You might not have much control over what happens at work or during your day, but exerting some external control over your environment can make you feel better.
- Play the “Well at least I...” game- The Buddha had a saying that I love so much, I made it part of my computer desktop. It goes like this “If I didn't learn a lot today, at least I learned a little, and if I didn't learn a little, at least I didn't get sick, and if I did get sick, at least I didn't die, so be thankful.” When I am in the midst of a no good day, I try to think of the things that I did manage to accomplish, and it really helps.
- Write it down- Even if you aren't a great writer, just giving a voice to the thoughts running through your head can make them go away and allow you to get over it and move on. Sometimes just writing a sentence or two is enough to get it out of my system.
If you have ever been stuck in a very bad, no good day, hopefully taking the steps to change your attitude can break the bad day cycle and help you get over it fast. If not, you can always move to Australia.
What do you do when you are feeling discouraged and having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day? Let me know in the comments.
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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