We all have what we have collectively come to call “off days.” The worst part of having an off day is the sour mood that inevitably comes along with it.Our emotional state becomes less about the critique from our boss or the tiff with our spouse but about everything. It seems like the whole universe is out to get us by the end. Or at least it can feel that way.
So what can we do to turn our mindsets and our off days around?
Embrace your bad mood – It sounds counterintuitive, but try accepting the fact that you’re in a terrible state. Doing so will actually make the negative perception of the day go away faster. We’re a lot better off just accepting and acknowledging where we’re at, as opposed to trying to change it.
Put your bad mood into perspective – If you find yourself having thoughts such as “I failed” or “today is ruined,” try to remember those are over-generalizations. All is rarely ever as we see or feel through our initial gut reactions. Remembering this in moments of stress or emotions will likely even out if we can step back, reset our presence and adjust our attitude.
Find your silver lining – There’s power in looking on the bright side when things go off course. See where things went wrong, what you can learn from all of it and finally, acknowledge something that went right. Think about what you can learn and do better next time the situation presents itself (it will). Look for whatever glimmer of understanding you can extract, then let that bad day go.
Peace and Love, Jim
