We all have them. Bad days can creep up on you, especially when we put ourselves in auto-pilot. All of a sudden, the rituals and routines are disrupted by things that go wrong, and the attitudes that are created behind them. As moms, we tend to feel bad days the worst, since no matter how annoying it may be, we still have to not only function like “normal” people, but we have to complete all those tasks that only mom can do, while making sure everyone else doesn’t have a bad day too. It’s exhausting!
But, there is a way to remedy this. 4 simple steps that will get your past the funk. Here’s what to do when you have a bad day.
Acknowledge It
When having a bad day, many people skip right to the “things will get better.” That may be true, but if you don’t acknowledge that the bad day is happening, it’s difficult to get past it quickly. If you day sucks, admit it. It’s fine to say “I’m having a bad day” if you know you’re going to make a effort to turn it around. It’s kind of like admitting you have a problem, before you can fix it.
Make a Plan
You’ve admitted that the day have turned to crap. Now, here’s your challenge: don’t wallow in it. Make a plan to make it better. And no, smiling through it, or ignoring it, isn’t a plan. That’s just avoiding the situation. Once you see your day may be turning into a dumpster fire, stop what you are doing, and write out a plan of attack. Schedule a nap, give yourself 30 minutes at your local park or coffee shop to sit and do nothing, or see if your gym has a new workout class you can take during that small window before school pick-up. Write it down, then DO.
Create a Grateful Bomb
After you write down your plan of attack, take 10 minutes to write down what you are grateful for. Here’s the hack: only write down frivolous and funny things. We’re all grateful for our health, our family, our homes. But, what small, silly things are you grateful for? Real Housewives marathons? Ordering from Amazon in your pajamas? Sexy gifs of Chris Hemsworth? What’s your fancy, darling? Write them down, and give yourself a list of grateful things that make you laugh. It will jumpstart the NEW day you’re creating.
Talk to a Friend
Friends are like the figurative Z-pack for your bad day illness. Pop a friendship pill and let them kill off that negativity. Friends will let you complete steps 1 to 3 with them, if you need that help. They will let you acknowledge the bad day, make a plan to kick it to the curb, laugh with you as you create your grateful bomb list, and give you a hour or more of conversation (via phone, text or FB message), to make sure that bad day is finished. Never underestimate a friend that can take you out of a funk, and always be leery of friends that want to join you in the funk you may be in. Funky friends are no bueno. Z-pack friends are where it’s at.
I hope these quick tips help you to get past your bad day with a quickness. If you have any tips or tricks you use to get past a bad day, please share them in the comments below.