When You're Having a Hard Day

Posted on July 10, 2017

Some days are harder than others – you just missed the bus to work and everyone’s life on Facebook seems much brighter than yours. We all have bad days, but we often put the blame on ourselves or others for how we feel, according to Jennifer Shannon, a psychotherapist.

The first step to dealing with a difficult day is accepting the circumstances. According to Traci Ruble, a psychotherapist, getting angry at yourself for having normal, human emotional reactions, or pretending they do not exist, will only make your day worse. She suggests observing your feelings, accepting them and soothing yourself.

Here are other ways to handle difficult days:

1) Be gentle with yourself. Difficult days can be an opportunity to practice self-compassion, suggests Shannon. Think of a supportive statement to repeat to yourself, like: “I will do the best I can.”

2) Respond to negative thoughts. Difficult days tend to lead to negative thoughts. Ruble suggests responding directly to these thoughts with positive statements.

3) Having an SOS plan. Ruble suggests having an SOS plan to follow during a bad day. Some SOS strategies are listening to music, exercising or calling a friend.

4) Setting small goals for the day. These can be as simple as showering or preparing dinner. Thinking of accomplishing a big task while we are already upset and unmotivated can be overwhelming. Shannon suggested having a 5-minute timer to focus on getting started. When the five minutes is up, check if you are motivated to do more. If yes, continue going. Even if you are not, congratulate yourself for starting as it is often the toughest thing to do.


Category(s):Self-Care / Self Compassion, Self-Love

Source material from PsychCentral