A Bad Day…

“Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.”

~Unknown Author

Scripture:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not

worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

~Romans 8:18

Perspective:

No matter how happy or positive we are, EVERYONE has a bad day here and there.  One of those days where nothing seems to go the way you hoped or expected it to, leaving you overwhelmed and discouraged, a day where even the good things just don’t feel so good, a day in which no matter what you put on or are doing you just feel sad, or at least blah, and you may not even know why.  Maybe you have been enduring a trial or challenging time with a positive attitude and on this particular day, you’ve had it, you just feel like you can’t take another day of “it!”  Those feelings are normal, we all have bad, sad, blue, or grey days, sometimes right in the middle of living our best life!  Let me start by saying that if it is ongoing, effecting multiple areas of your life, and all that you are doing to move past it is just not working, then you may need to seek professional help.   

I have found that a bad day, one that causes me to want to throw in the towel, is often followed by some of my best, most inspiring days.  A bad day is not the time to give up but rather the time to dig deep and push through toward brighter tomorrows.  Nothing lasts forever and your bad day certainly will not either.  I bet every one of us have bad days and challenging times in our past to look back on as evidence that we can in fact survive difficulty, and even thrive, and you know what?  You will survive this bad day or situation, as well!  Most Importantly, do not allow yourself to get bogged down in a negative day, event, or situation.  Do not dwell on it, personalize it, or spend unnecessary energy on this temporary situation.  Focus on doing what you must to move through it and challenge yourself to find the good in this (or any) bad day or situation; the good may very well be a lesson you learn.  Find encouragement and hope in a God who says, Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, be assured that I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

Things you can do to help yourself push through a bad or sad day…

• Pray!  Take your problems to God and work on laying them at the cross, especially when there is nothing that you can do to change the situation in the moment.  Pray that God shows you the lesson in the trial and guides you as you persevere.  Learn to lean more on Him and less on yourself.  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7).
• Do something to nurture and care for yourself in the moment.  On a good day, create a list of the things that make you feel nurtured and special.  These things can be harder to think of when you are in the midst of a bad day. 
• Make time for relaxation, it is OK to take it easier on a blue day.  Meditate/do deep breathing exercises, take an afternoon nap, take a bath, read a good book that allows your mind to wander, and/or journal…get your feelings out on paper.  If you feel the need, have a good cry, it actually may be a release and help you to feel better.
• Set a small goal that you are sure to achieve in a day and work on that to give you a sense of accomplishment despite what is going wrong.
• Spend time walking/exercising in nature, use your senses to really tune into nature with all its’ beauty, sounds, and smells.  Exercise is a great way to boost your mood as it causes your brain to release endorphins, the feel-good hormone.
• Spend time with your pet; they give such unconditional love.  Studies have shown that owning a pet can lower blood pressure and even reduce the risk of depression.
• Reach out to trusted friends and loved ones for a cheerful conversation.  You can share your feelings and frustrations, just remember not to dwell in that negative place…the point is to help you move, and even grow, through it!
• Create your own “happy meal,” cook something that you really enjoy eating, something you have been craving or that reminds you of a special person or time in your life.
• Watch a comedy and laugh your blues away, at least for a little while.  Laughter can be the best medicine at times.
• Allow yourself to go to bed early, looking forward to a brand-new day!

If your bad day lasts longer than a day, maybe it is a bad situation you must weather, remember that it is OK to enjoy your life while your circumstances are not ideal.  Seek to find joy and peace in each day regardless what life throws at you.  After all, the Bible promises us trials in this life but also tells us our trials have a purpose!  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).  James did not mean we should enjoy misery but rather that we should embrace the valuable lessons we can learn from our trials, lessons that will cause us to grow spiritually and strengthen our character. 

Sometimes we do not appreciate all that a trial was meant to teach us until it has passed.  When we had our 2016 financial crisis due to the company my husband was part of crashing, I could see no joy in that situation.  After I struggled through the initial dread,  I did my very best to lean on and surrender to God, trusting that He had a treasure in the trial meant to cause learning, growth, and change in me, and in us, growth that could not happen in my comfort zone.  During that year I become closer to God then I had ever been, and I could truly see His hand in my life; I learned to surrender to Him.  He did not leave us hanging, He showed me the path to rebuilding quite clearly, one I have been walking step by step with complete trust in the Lord’s plan.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge (submit to) him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).  Just do not give up, one never knows what tomorrow, or even the next hour, will bring!

Life Applications:

>Go ahead and take a few minutes to create that list of things you can do to nurture yourself when you need it most.

>>Then, create another list…what CAN you do to change or at least impact the things that repeatedly effect you in negative ways or cause you distress.  Regardless how it feels in the moment, we always have choices!  When our bad days involve someone else, someone we cannot control, we may just have to give it up to God.  That can take practice but is well worth the effort since we do not have control of much beyond our self.

>>>Contemplate how past bad or sad days and circumstances have worked out and what you learned from them.  It is often once we are through a situation that we can better understand its’ purpose and value in our life.  Joyce Meyer said, “We live life forward, but we only understand it backwards.”