Everyone has those days when nothing seems to go right. It’s one thing after another and you just want to curl up and go to sleep and start fresh tomorrow. Don’t let those bad days get you down. The secret to a bad day is to give yourself a little grace to help you power through it. Here are 5 self-care ideas to help get you through bad days.
1. Get Moving
Finding yourself in the midst of a bad day? Get outside and take a walk. There is nothing like nature and a little cardio to lift your spirits and put your bad day into perspective. Listen to upbeat music or, enjoy the birds singing and the wind in the trees. After 30 minutes, your mind will feel much clearer and the funk of the bad day will be behind you.
2. Write it Down
When you’re having a bad day, it’s easy to fall into the trap of seeing everything from a negative position. If you find yourself struggling, put pen to paper and write down what exactly is going on. Don’t sugar-coat it. Let it all out on paper. Writing is extremely cathartic. It is like yelling and screaming into a pillow. After you have written down everything, go through and read it over. Are things really as bad as they seem? Try to find the good in what you wrote or find a solution to help you get through the bad day. Take it one step further and ball up that paper and throw it away. Imagine that the balled-up piece of paper is your bad day and you are through with it and throw it in the trash. Visualizing you are getting rid of the bad day can help you feel much better.
3. Indulge in a Relaxing Activity
What things help you really relax? Is it sinking into a good book? Soaking in a hot bath with fragrant oils? Whatever it is that helps you relax, drop everything and engage in that activity. If you’re in the middle of the workday, give yourself an hour to relax in your favorite activity. By doing something you truly enjoy, you can turn your bad day around.
4. Meditate
Deep breathing can be extremely relaxing. Take 10 minutes out of your bad day to close your eyes and focus on your breathing. If meditation doesn’t come easy to you, there are various apps that can guide you through meditation. Envision you breathing in positivity and exhaling negativity. Taking deep belly breaths activates a relaxation response in your body, releasing tension and reducing stress.
5. Talk it Out
Sometimes, when you are having a bad day, it helps to speak with a friend or therapist. When things aren’t going well, sometimes you see everything through a jaded lens. The neutral opinion of a friend or therapist can help put your bad day into perspective. Let whomever you are speaking to know whether you are looking for advice or just need a shoulder to lean on. Talking a bad day out ensures you don’t keep negative feelings inside and helps your mental health.
It’s important to remember that bad days do happen. Even the happiest of people will have a bad day. They just use tools to help get them through hard times. Don’t let a bad day derail all the hard work you’ve done. Take some time to be gentle with yourself and engage in a self-care activity to make you feel better. Try one of the 5 tips above the next time you have a bad day, you’ll more than likely turn your day around.
