BRIONA SAAS
Special to The Leader
So you’re having a bad day? Or maybe you’re having a great day, but you want to be prepared for those off days we all have that come unexpectedly. Not to worry, it happens to the best of us!
We can’t avoid the bad days, but we can change the way we approach them to be more positive. Tricking our minds into thinking differently about bad days is the only sure way to handle them. My most precious advice to give friends when they’re having a hard time and don’t want to believe in anything good, is “the factor allowing you to have a bad day is the same one that allows you to have a good day.”
The true influence is your mind. You decide your fate; you decide if you’re going to smile and get through the tough times or dwell on them. Never blame the world or other people for your problems.
Understand that you — and only you — can decide whether it’s going to be a good or bad day based on your attitude. It doesn’t matter what bad grade you got that day, who said what about you, or who even broke your heart … what matters is how we accept these blows life throws at us. There’s a light to every dark day. So why not appreciate the good and put the bad behind us?
The problem I notice is we allow the bad days to define who we are. Sometimes we even see it as some part of life’s cruel punishment that we deserve … FALSE! These hurdles are lessons waiting to be learned. Its all part of our purpose, and what we learn from it makes us grow to be better.
Are you really going to allow one bad thing to stop you from having the best day of your life? Or are you going to say, “It’s okay, I’m going to have a great day because that’s what I deserve!” That’s the lesson we must learn; trust me, I know it’s a hard one to understand.
If you can’t find it within yourself to change your mood, surround yourself with happy things you enjoy and admire. Things as simple as listening to your favorite song, with an upbeat tempo and lyrics that are impossible not to sing to, will surely lift your spirits.
Talk to people who care about you. Sometimes we have to let out our feelings, or else they become bottled up in an unhealthy way. Positive feedback and support from loved ones are quick ways to get over and forget about our troubles.
Even start a journal — keep in it the good memories of each day. Writing and thinking of the good can quickly exile the bad. It’s quite therapeutic, and if you find yourself in a rut you can easily look back at what made you smile. Reminiscing on good times allows you to forget about whatever negative thoughts you had before.
Remember that every day is a new day. We need to let go of the past, sometimes even stop thinking about the future for a moment and simply enjoy the present. There is too much worrying that comes with regret of the past and anxiety of what will happen in the future. Focus on yourself in the present and if you come across a bad day, just keep on moving forward. It’s your choice; make every day a good day for yourself and take a stand.