Yesterday was not a good day. My husband was upset as he felt professionally slighted by a client and can’t shake it off. I sometimes work with him in a relatively small office so I felt the slight too and also absorbed a lot of bad energy. My son lost a sweater at school and it hasn’t turned up. I woke up with sore hips and they didn’t get much better. I forgot to eat lunch or have a walk and by 3pm felt dehydrated and even lower mood wise. I had a meeting with a potential new accountant and all that talk of tax and changes to rules and a few highlights of my slack attitude to book keeping left me feeling stressed and flat. A project I am working on is confusing and messy and some at my end. Then my kid had a tantrum over something minor and I flipped and we all ended up yelling at one another. ugh.
Not a good day.
So what should I do to feel better? Eat cake? Hit the wine? spot of online retail therapy?
if only it were that simple. I know from past experience that numbing the problem in this way is just delaying it for future attention. So what can I do? After absorbing everything Brene Brown has to say I have become more determined not to stuff down my emotions in this way.
Here are some things that I believe help when you’ve had a crappy day.
1. Pay attention to what the annoyance or upset is telling you and learn the lesson. For me yesterday was telling me that I care too much what others think at times. It’s telling me that I need to find ways to be more supportive to my husband. It’s telling me I have come a long way in facing my financial anxieties. It’s telling me that I still have a way to go. It’s telling me that if other people are disorganised that letting myself mirror that isn’t going to do my self esteem any good. It’s telling me that I’m upset about things because at least I care and that’s a good thing overall. It’s telling me to stop sweating the small stuff and things I cannot control.
2. Breathe. Just sitting for a minute and taking deep breaths in and out really does help. Corny but true. If you don’t believe me, give it a go.
3. Music. Instead of crashing in front of a film or a TV series, put some music on instead. Music is a great mood changer for me and doesn’t merely take my mind of things. Paulo Nutini did it this day!
4. Eat. Not indulgently but make sure you’ve eaten and feel satisfied and nourished. Also have a drink – water! We had some soft dahl and some kale and a homemade flatbread/ naan. yum.
5. Count your blessings. I am a massive fan of gratitude as you will find out if you continue reading my blog. Even in the worst day there are things to stop and be grateful for. Make a list. Meditate on it. More of this in future posts!
Journaling is a great way to survive and make sense of a bad day too! Click here to see more