When Everything Goes Wrong

We all have days that aren’t quite as good as the others. Your toddler tossed his cereal bowl from the highchair. You find a hole in your favorite top. The car won’t start.

Even the happiest of people have days when the glass looks half empty. A bad day can ruin your productivity, making you less motivated, energized and creative. “Most of us believe that we have way more control over things in our life than we actually do,” says Beverly Pedroche, a clinical psychologist who practices in Boca Raton. “A bad day is a big, flashing neon sign reminder that we aren’t always in control.”

Typically, we can’t just go back to bed and start all over again, though we may want to do so. We must power through, whether we like it or not. Try these ideas to lift your spirits. You’ll see that you can have a brighter day.

Embrace Your Emotions

Don’t push away or ignore your feelings. Let yourself feel angry, guilty or blameworthy. You’re human and we all have times when we’re not at our optimal self.

Shake It Off

Taylor Swift was right all along. Leave that bad day behind and do your best to move on. If you lost a big account at work, leave those feelings at the office. If you got into a fender bender, keep the emotions behind the wheel. Acknowledge the emotion but don’t get trapped by it. Move forward despite what happened to you.

Reach Out For Help

You may feel inclined to wallow in self-pity and isolation. Meet a friend for coffee. Text your spouse. Hug your kids. Resist dwelling on what happened to you.

Don’t Take It Personally

Your friend sent you a nasty text. Someone cut in front of you at the line at the grocery store. Don’t let your day be ruined by another person’s negativity. Avoid internalizing the fact that someone else was stressed, upset, frustrated or mean to you. “Don’t get stuck in self-pity or become focused on the negative,” says Dr. Pedroche.

Give Yourself Some Love

Do something healthy that makes you happy. Go to a yoga class. Read a few pages in your favorite book. Hit up the nail salon for that overdue pedicure. Doing an activity that makes you feel confident will help transform your bad day.