Paul’s 5 Things That Can Turn a Bad Day Around

When I'm having a bad day, these are the things I do to turn it around.

1. Breathe

I just try to clear my mind completely, and breathe. Besides a few details, all that matters is that I can breathe. That is the bare minimum for enjoying this human experience, and if that is happening without interruption, I am grateful.

2. H-A-L-T

Hungry. Angry. Lonely. Tired.

These are 4 warning signs. They are conditions that allow and anger and fear to rule our minds. Each of them can be remedied with relative ease. We can ease our hunger with a light, healthy snack. We can overcome anger by looking at our part in it, by letting go, or by jotting down what fear or resentment is causing the anger. We can relieve loneliness with a phone call to a friend, or someone who needs our help. And if we are tired and can't stop at that moment for a rest, we can make sure our body has the fuel it needs (water, especially), promise it a good rest soon, and keep the promise.

3. Look at something far away

Something about knowing there is space can make us feel better. Gaze at the clouds, a view of the mountains, or if you aren't in a very picturesque place, just looking up at the sky can help.

4. Gratitude

If we can still breathe, we should be eternally grateful. If we have one person that loves us, we should swoon with appreciation. If we don't, God does, and that's all we will leave this world with anyway.

If nothing else, you are one of the lucky ones who is still on the Earth. There are a lot of people who aren't here that may wish they were, so we are SOOOOOO lucky!

You may be like me and have so many things to appreciate that when I lose myself to anger or fear, it isn't hard to remember how many blessings I enjoy.

5. Think of what I want

Instead of yelling "I DON'T want to wake up late and not be able to find my keys!" I calmly state, "I want to feel at ease in the morning, and have plenty of time to do what I need to do to be at work on time."

I think of it, I name it, I say it out loud. "I want ____________".

The phrase is 'Ask, and it is given' not, 'Holler out what you hate and the opposite will appear', so I only think of what I want.

In the midst of a fit of anger is a great time to do this because it is rarely more clear what we do want when we are right in the midst of something we don't want.