Life is busy, there's no question about that so when a 'bad day' rolls around, we resist it with every fibre of our being. Who has time for that, right?! Apparently tantrums aren't socially acceptable past the age of 3 (who knew?) so finding a way to manage work, school drop off and the everyday niceties without telling someone you hate them or throwing yourself on the ground in a fit of rage, can be somewhat challenging.
So maybe you wake up one morning and things aren't so crash hot. Hormones, sick kids, bad weather, bad traffic, lack of sleep. There are 101 reasons you might be out of sorts but life keeps on coming at you and the demands don't stop because you feel like crap.
Hey guess what? It's ok to feel crappy. It's ok to have a cry in the shower. It's ok to have a meltdown while you're getting dressed for work but to be honest, the best way to deal with a bad day is to accept it and move on. Tomorrow is a new day and more often than not, a good night's sleep is all you need.
The reality of adulting is that you may not be able to stay in your PJs feeling sorry for yourself so here are some practical ways to help you get through the day...
1. Do something you love. Watch some netflix? Take a dance class? Read a book? Go for a walk? Just do something that makes you happy. You may still have to go to work or take the kids to their activities but if you can squeeze an hour of 'me time' into the day, you'll feel a whole lot better for it.
2. Do some exercise. I know it's the cliche' Personal Trainer 'happiness prescription' but seriously; exercise = endorphins = good mood. Even a brisk walk with the dog will make you feel better.
3. Phone a friend. Sometimes you might just need a chat with your bestie. Have a laugh, tell them you've had a crappy day and organise a coffee date when you've both got time. Just reach out to someone, that's what friends are for.
4. Remember it's just a bad day, not a bad life. The bad days help us appreciate the good (cue eye roll). It's true though!! It's like recovering from the flu when suddenly a whole new appreciation for good health is instilled in you, as if you'd forgotten how wonderful it is to feel healthy. Remember It's just a bad day, not a bad life.
Now I know that it's tempting to reach for the vino and cadbury at a time like this but at the risk of sounding boring, I wouldn't recommend this tactic (that doesn't mean that wine and chocolate are not awesome!) The reason I say this is because alcohol is a depressant so it may put you into a deeper slump and sugar will pick you up for an hour or so but will inevitably bring you crashing back down. Finding ways to lift your mood that aren't food related are usually the better option but if all else fails, go the Ben and Jerrys ;-)
Life is not going to be sunshine and rainbows all the time so take a second to acknowledge you're having a bad day, do what you can to lift yourself up and if that doesn't work, go to bed knowing you'll wake up and start fresh again tomorrow. If you're having more bad days than good, it might be time to search a bit deeper into what's going on. You're allowed to take a mental health day, it's ok to reach out for help and keep reminding yourself that you're not alone and you're doing awesome.
Here's to the good days outnumbering the bad,
Alyssa x