No matter how much you strive to be positive and present, you're bound to have a bad day every now and then. A bad day is unpleasant enough, but when you start allowing a bad day to influence the way you feel about yourself, it turns into a much more serious matter. Unfortunately, some days are so rotten that it's hard not to let them impact your self-worth. If you make a terrible mistake or have a massive error in judgment, it can be nearly impossible not to start thinking of yourself as a bad person. But you can't let a bad day (or week or month...) get in the way of loving who you are.
Preventing a bad day from spiraling out of control in your mind can be difficult. When things are bad, everything starts to seem bad. But here are five ways you can stop a bad day from impacting the love you have for yourself.
1. Remember your good qualities.
When you're battling a bad day, it can be hard to remember all the things you're really good at and all of the wonderful qualities you possess. When things are going bad, take a time out from whatever you're doing and list out the things you're good at. Remind yourself of all the ways you're completely and utterly awesome.
2. Talk it out with someone you trust.
An outside perspective is always helpful on a bad day. When you talk with someone you trust (and preferably someone who knows just how awesome you are), you'll see the day in a new light. Just talking about what's troubling you can help you feel better -- and you never know what kinds of insights someone else might have.
3. Keep it in perspective.
Easier said than done when you're in the midst of a terrible day, but it's important to keep the bad day in perspective. One bad day (or even a lot of bad days!) doesn't mean everything is bad -- or will continue to be bad. Things will get better and it's important not to lose sight of that very essential truth.
4. Make a (or review your) gratitude list.
If you have a gratitude list, pull it out on a bad day and review all of the things you have to be grateful for. If you don't have a list, make one. Write down everything you're thankful for. Once you do this, you'll start to realize that, even though some things are bad, there are a lot of things to be grateful for.
5. Ask others to help you out.
Sometimes we're so overwhelmed by what's going wrong that we forget we can ask for help. When you're having a tough time, ask for help. Doing so doesn't mean you're any less strong or capable. It means you're smart. You're smart enough to know you can't do it all. Just asking someone else to lend a hand can be a great act of self-love.
Bad days are unavoidable. They happen to us all, and they're bound to make us feel not-so-great. It's okay to get down when you have a bad day, but it's not okay to let that one day impact how you feel about yourself. No matter how bad the day gets, keep your head up -- and keep these five tips in mind. And if you need an additional self-love boost, download the free self-love reminder below. You can print it out and put it up wherever you need an reminder to love yourself!
A number of years ago I was having the worst of days. I went to a store and the perky sales clerk bubbled over her enthusiasm with a 'Have a nice day!' greeting. That sent me over the top. Then I happened upon the quote that changed my attitude. It actually stopped me in my tracks. I realized that I was contributing to my bad day rather than being a way out.
"Every day may not be good but there is something good in every day." ~anonymous
I started using that as part of my signature on every email. I realized that it is possible to enjoy the day despite the worst that might come your way. And I started seeking out what I call the 'something good' in every day. At first it was a struggle to find them. But now they find me. And when they do I always thank the 'something good' that found me, often people then reply that this action of gratitude made a difference to them and they have never been someone's 'something good' before.
Find your 'something good' today. Enjoy the day! Erin
Posted by: Erin Prais-Hintz | February 25, 2013 at 10:21 AM
Erin - What a great comment! I love this: "At first it was a struggle to find them. But now they find me." I find that to be so true. It's not always easy to find the good in a bad day, but the good will often find you if you open your mind to it.
Posted by: positively present | February 25, 2013 at 11:12 AM
I love the efforts you have put in this, thank you for all the great blog posts.
Posted by: fitness4fit | April 06, 2013 at 08:22 AM