Friday is and always will be most people’s favorite day, but during college it was my favorite because it was the day my sister and I met in the cafeteria to buy a five-dollar-footlong from Subway. With our meager student income, it was the splurge of the week. Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich…mmm, nothing like it. (Now I can’t stand the smell of Subway.)
One Friday, as we parted ways after a lunch hour of chatting and laughing, I could feel something in my teeth. This was a common problem for me, and I often had my sister check after lunch, but today I found myself stranded in the middle of campus, walking past the library, with nary a bathroom mirror in sight.
Lucky for me, the library was lined with highly reflective glass, and I was a quick thinker. Knowing I’d look like a fool if I showed up to my next class with lettuce wedged between my chompers, I checked my reflection in the glass, mouth wide, teeth gritted—a very thorough inspection.
Though I found nothing hidden among my pearly whites, what I did find (and I think you know where this is going) was an entire classroom of students on the other side of the glass, staring and laughing.
Normally, with something so embarrassing, I would have bawled my eyes out and chalked it up to a bad day. But it was too funny not to laugh!
Bad days are inevitable. You can’t escape it. There will be days where you don’t have it all together and being positive is impossible. Because, well, that’s just life! And you think “the next time someone smiles at me I’ll punch their teeth out”
My days usually come in the feeling of I-am-such-a-failure-everybody’s-doing-life-better-than-me-there’s-no-hope. I know it sounds drastic, but my brain is drastic….and that’s okay!
It’s okay to have a bad day! Let yourself have a bad day! Now, I’m not saying to give yourself permission to be depressed and walk around mopey all day. But sometimes allowing yourself be sad and mopey for a day keeps you going for a few more weeks.
I use to beat myself up for not being my best self everyday. For not being able to see the positive even when I knew others were suffering more than me. Not being able to count my blessings or feel gratitude for anything. For letting my kids eat cereal for dinner, and watch way too much TV. BUT we aren’t perfect and we can’t possibly be our best selves every day, so don’t beat yourself up over it. We are often way too hard on ourselves. We all need personal days, and sometimes the only therapy is letting yourself mope.
There is a quote that says (which I need to hang in my house):
“Sometimes courage is that little voice at the end of the day that says “I’ll try again tomorrow”
Sometimes you just have to say, I’ll do better tomorrow and have a bad day. There is a proper way to have a bad day.
Post: 10 Things to AVOID when You’re Feeling Depressed
Here are the tips and tricks to letting yourself have a bad day:
Tell yourself it’s okay.
Tell yourself it’s okay to have a bad day, then don’t worry about it. Some days are just too hard to fight the depression or anxiety or negativity, and that’s okay.
Do 1 thing YOU want to do, just for yourself.
Watch a movie, organize your pantry. Do that thing on your TO DO list that keeps getting pushed down the list.
Cancel your schedule, call in sick, skip that meeting, or party or whatever it is you have going on for the day.
Eat a donut.
Now, I would never motivate someone to eat their emotions, but every once in a while you can’t help it. Eat that treat you only get on your birthday, or special occasions. Mine’s a donut!
Feed the kids cereal for dinner.
Don’t stress over dinner. Eat cereal!
Let yourself cry, if you need to.
Don’t force a cry, but if you’re feeling a good cry would make you feel better. Do it. Watch a sad movie, listen to a sad song. Vent in your journal, vent to your friend, mom or significant other. Let it all out!
Take a nap.
If you have the luxury take at least a 20 minute.
Make your list for tomorrow.
This is the most important one. Make a list of what you need to get done tomorrow, then don’t worry about it until tomorrow. Because tomorrow you are going to wake up a new person, Ready to take on the day!
Having a bad day because of Depression or Anxiety You might be interested in my other posts about The signs of depression and anxiety, or how to overcome depression and cope with anxiety.
These are great ways to help soothe yourself and/or rebound from a bad day. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!
Ugh! Bad days are the worst! I think that reminding yourself that bad days happen to everyone is the best strategy. From there, you can accept it, wallow if you need to, then move on. ?
So True! Thanks for commenting!