Draven Jackson
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We’ve all had bad days – hundreds of songs have been written to express the frustration of mornings and afternoons where nothing seems to go right. Maybe you wake up late, forget your wallet at home, lose your favorite keychain, fall and scrape your knee, have a fight with a friend, or feel stressed about a small mistake.

In all honesty, there’s no way to avoid having a bad day here and there. Bad days are a part of life, and we can only hope that we have more good days that can outweigh the frustrating, everything-is-going-wrong mornings. But if you are having a bad day and it’s put you in a negative mindset or a grumpy mood, here are some easy steps to help you turn it around!

Take a moment to breathe

One of the most frustrating parts about having a bad day is that it really changes your overall mood and makes it hard to bounce back. You start to feel stressed and upset, and it can be easy to become overwhelmed after a series of unfortunate moments. If you’re anything like me, a bad day can really ruin your mood and make you grumpy and unpleasant to be around.

The first step to improving your state of mind is to simply take a deep breath. While negative thoughts and emotions may try and take over your mind, calm yourself with a few simple breaths and push those feelings aside. While it can be easy to fall into negativity, at the end of the day those emotions are unproductive and unhelpful and we don’t need them in our lives.

Listen to your favorite song on full volume

Music can be incredibly cleansing when you’re having a bad day, so my favorite thing to do to wash away a frustrating morning is to turn on my favorite song at full volume. Personally, I like to choose something upbeat and catchy with a nice rhythm. The sunshine inside the music in my ears helps to melt away the negativity in my mind.

So if nothing’s going right and you need a reset, turn on your favorite song and let it wash away your stress and worries.

Eat a yummy meal

In my opinion, food is one of the best ways to bring a little joy into a frustrating day. If I’m having a bad day, the last thing I want is a boring, unfulfilling meal. I’m a complete foodie and I love eating yummy snacks, so bringing myself some joy through my meal can really help clear my head and fill my heart (and my belly).

I know you may be trying to eat healthily or attempting to save a little money, and that’s incredible! But if you’re having a bad day, a small treat for yourself could be a great way to help raise your spirits. It doesn’t have to be huge and break the bank or ruin your diet, but a nice drink or your favorite candy could really help turn your rain cloud into sunshine.

Watch a funny video that makes you smile

The best way to improve a bad day and a foul mood? Laughing! As we all know, laughing can be the cure to so many emotional ailments and issues, and the negativity that comes with a bad day is no different. Whenever I’m having a bad day, I love to turn on an episode of my favorite sitcom or watch a short video of funny Kpop moments that make me laugh out loud.

If you’re having a bad day, don’t be afraid to take some time to yourself to cleanse your emotions and laugh a little. It can really help heal your negative feelings.

Talk to someone you love

If I’m feeling down after a bad day, talking to my friends or calling my family can really help put a smile on my face. Talking to the people you love can be so incredibly encouraging, and they always seem to know just what to say to help you remember that not every day feels like this. Spending time with someone you love can be really healing especially if your “bad day” seems never-ending.

Just the other day, I was feeling a little down emotionally when I got a call from my dad asking if I could talk. Even though our conversation wasn’t long, getting to hear from him and seeing his face really helped turn my mood around and a negative moment turned into a great night!

Show kindness to those around you

Even though it can be hard to find the energy to be kind when you’re having a bad day, sometimes that can be the best way to turn your day around. Showing kindness helps encourage positive emotions in ourselves. Whether it’s something as simple as giving up your seat for someone on the train or smiling at a stranger, or as grand as donating to a worthy cause or volunteering at an animal shelter, showing a little bit of kindness can not only brighten someone else’s day but your own as well!

Treat yourself to something “just because”

Much like eating a yummy meal, buying yourself a small something “just because” can be a great way to turn a bad day into a good one. It doesn’t have to be big – maybe you liked the style of a notebook you saw at the store or maybe you saw a cute pair of earrings online that you liked.

Even something small that costs less than $5 can be a great way to improve your mood! Don’t be afraid to treat yourself a little.

Watch a movie with your family

A lot of times, the best way to improve a bad day is simply to get out of your head for a while. If work was stressful and you don’t want to think about how frustrating your day was, watching a movie with your family or friends and immersing yourself in someone else’s story can be a great way to turn your day around.

It doesn’t even have to be a “good” movie – even a lame, bad movie can be a great way to improve your day if you have someone to watch it with! Bad movies can bring a lot of laughs, and we already said that laughing is the perfect mood fixer.

Hug a friend

Some bad days can be really, really stressful and you may find that even your favorite song or a funny video can’t help improve your mood. If you’re having a terrible, no good, super bad day, then a hug may be what you need to help you feel a little better.

Not everyone enjoys physical affection, and that’s perfectly okay! But if you are someone who finds joy and healing from hugs and physical affirmation from others, then a hug may be the best way to help ease your troubled emotions.

Remind yourself that it’s all temporary

The worst part about a bad day is that it can feel endless. Everything is going wrong, you keep making mistakes, and somehow there’s no end in sight. Worse, sometimes a bad day can turn into a bad week or even a rough month. This can be really frustrating and will make it especially difficult to improve a negative mindset.

The most important piece of advice to remember during these times is that everything is temporary. No moment lasts forever, good or bad, and eventually, this too will pass.

I hope these steps help to improve your bad day, but I also hope that the good days outnumber the frustrating ones.

And if you have any other steps or advice for improving a bad day, make sure to tell us in the comments!

About Draven Jackson

Draven is an avid writer and reader who enjoys sharing her opinions on movies, books, and music with the rest of the world. She will soon be working as a teacher in Japan and hopes to use her experience to connect with other teachers and students around the globe. Draven spends most of her time at home with her family, her dogs, and her ferret.

To see more, view all posts by Draven Jackson here.