Written originally for Jedi365
Bad days happen to all of us, yes, even Jedi. So a few things to do when you find yourself having a day turning yourself less like Master Kenobi and more like Lord Maul.
Step One: Turn to the Tunes. A good soundtrack makes an impact and can help turn your entire day (or week) around. Personally I like to indulge a bit with some mood-reflective music and then change it (a well-crafted playlist to make it gradual) more where where I’d like my mood to go. Some good inspirational music should be available at all times.
Step Two: Get the blood flowing. It may be the last thing you want to do, but it is probably one of the first things you should do. It gives time to allow the mind to reflect while needing enough focus to keep you from completely getting lost in your thoughts. Also chemically/biologically speaking exercise releases feel good chems into the system that help improve the mood. An increase in oxygen and blood flow definitely can help turn a bad day around.
Step Three: Write It Out. Write that e-mail. Write that text. Write in a journal. Blog it. And then never publish/send/tweet/ or otherwise distribute it. Simply write out what you are feeling. Why you are feeling that way. Say exactly what you want to say and what you feel you need to say. Maybe send it to a very close and trusted friend if you feel you need it out there. Or have an anonymous blog specifically for those moments when you want to vent and maybe say not so nice and politically correct things. So you can just get your feelings out there to your pretend audience. I have a lot of deleted e-mails and blog posts. Just getting it out of your head does wonders.
Step Four: Dial-a-Friend. Hang out. Get dinner or lunch or a cup of coffee. Go watch a comedy. Put on a bad movie and laugh together at it. Play darts or go fishing. Whatever. Just take some time to distract yourself temporarily. And this is best done with a good friend. Don’t isolate yourself for long. Social interaction can help us adjust our mood.
Step Five: Meditate and get your reflection on so you can get to bed early and allow the bad day to end. Remember that tomorrow is a new day. Problems don’t disappear, but a good night’s sleep can help put things into perspective. Allowing us to remember that in a week, a month, a year, in a decade things will be different. Life continues on and our mistakes serve to help us grow and be better for the future. So let the day end and be ready to tackle a new beginning in the morning.