Everyone has bad days. Whether you’re an A-list celebrity or an average person, you’ve had the kind of day that starts with a flat tire and ends with a stubbed toe. When bad days strike, you can either vow to never leave home again, or you can try your best to move on.
Because moving on isn’t easy, we’re here to offer a few friendly bad day survival tips! Even if you’re having a great day today, keep reading! You never know when you or a friend might need a pick-me-up.
1. Identify the Problem
If you’ve ever felt deeply annoyed by the wind, the sound of someone breathing, or a slow driver, you’re not alone. Small stressors can pile up quickly, resulting in a bad mood.
When you recognize a bad mood, take a moment to pinpoint the factors that may have contributed to it. Peel them back like layers of an onion until you get to the root cause of your irritability. You might be surprised to find that you’re upset about something totally unrelated to your immediate surroundings!
2. Practice Gratitude
When things are going wrong, it’s hard to remember what’s going right. Take a few minutes each day to perform a brief gratitude ritual. This might include making a list of 3 things you’re grateful for in a journal, writing a short “thank you” note to a friend, or quietly reflecting on something positive. Within just a few days, you’ll be seeking silver linings out of pure habit.
3. Cancel Your Plans
You’ve just returned from a week-long dream vacation followed by a much-anticipated music festival and a super-fun dinner with friends, so why are you feeling blue? You might be experiencing social burnout.
Packing your calendar with plans might sound exciting, but “me time” can be equally fulfilling! When you start to feel overstimulated and emotionally depleted, it might be time to cancel your plans and get some good old-fashioned rest. Watch your favorite movie, burn incense, and give yourself time to properly recharge.
4. Spend Time Outdoors
Look up from your screen, open the door, and go outside. Take a deep breath of fresh air. You don’t have to plan a grand hiking excursion to enjoy some time outdoors! Sit on your front porch, take a walk around your neighborhood, or lay down a beach towel and sit on your lawn.
Best case scenario: Free vitamin D boost, baby!
Worst case scenario: Your neighbors will wonder why you’re sitting alone on your lawn.
5. Listen to Music
Music can dramatically improve a sour mood. You can listen to upbeat, happy songs to lift your spirits, or you can listen to songs with thoughtful lyrics that match your most challenging feelings. Whether you choose to listen to a dance party playlist or R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts,” on repeat, listening to music is a healthy emotional outlet.
Check out our list of feel-good songs!
6. Take a Nap
Even if your life has been nothing but sunshine and rainbows lately, you can’t neglect your basic needs. Take time to rest with intention, even if it’s only for a few minutes each day.
Not a mid-day sleeper? Try unwinding with meditation or a singing bowl instead. A singing bowl emits deep, rich tones that help to promote relaxation.
7. Learn From Your Lows
You’ve survived past bad days, and you’ll make it through this one, too! Think about some of the things that helped you through your last terrible day. Did you scroll through funny memes, treat yourself to a new piece of jewelry, or seek advice from a friend? Maybe you just felt better after allowing some time to pass. You are resilient, and your strength grows with every tough experience.
8. Laugh It Off
Nothing reverses a bad day like laughter. Grab a big boob stress ball or an inflatable crown of dicks and allow yourself to laugh. Life can be challenging, but it’s full of humor if you’re open to finding it!
Whenever you feel the tension building in your shoulders, browse our extensive collection of funny gifts.
9. Talk to a Friend
Text, call, or meet up with your bestie to chat. Try your best to ask for what you need (advice, a distraction, or a good venting sesh, for example). Talking to a friend about your bad day forces you to find the words with which to express your emotions.
10. Improve Someone Else’s Day
So you failed an exam and got a parking ticket on the same day (really, universe?). You can study differently next time and find a safer place to park, but you can’t do anything to change the immediate past. Your day is a bust, but that doesn’t mean you can’t improve someone else’s day.
Pay for a stranger’s lunch, pick up a piece of trash, or tell a friend what you appreciate about them. While you wait for your own situation to improve, it feels good to make others feel good!
Bad days happen to the best of us, and the good news is that they eventually end. Be patient with yourself and know that there’s a better day waiting just around the corner!
