How to deal with a very 'bad' day

(English version)

Did you ever happen to wake up in the morning feeling down, depressed, in a bad mood, and not being able to figure out why?

It happened to me last Sunday. And, trust me, I had no reason for feeling that way. It was a sunny morning, mild temperature, no clouds in the sky, and I was in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. No family issues to deal with, a lovely afternoon ahead.

Still, negative thoughts and limiting beliefs were running through my head, and everything around me looked dark and gloomy.

I spent a few hours fighting those thoughts and the feeling of sadness that was coming along with them, that was taking me down like quicksand. Then I decided that enough is enough and pulled out of my hat a few effective remedies that helped me change the course of my day.

1. I put a pencil between my teeth and forced myself to smile. It's incredible how you start looking differently at the world around you when you use this simple trick. But it works! Research shows that our pose and body language influence the way we think and feel. After a couple of minutes of 'forced' smiling our thoughts will change and become more optimistic, and we will look at everything with a more positive attitude.

2. I went running. Physical exercise helps the body release endorphins and, consequently, we feel better. Moreover, sweating also can also make us feel more motivated and confident. In fact, by achieving a fitness goal, we can even boost our self-esteem!

3. I thought of 5 reasons to be grateful to Someone or Something Greater than me. Practising gratitude helps people focus on what they have rather than what they lack. A study conducted by two psychologists from the University of California, Davis, Dr. Robert A. Emmons e Dr. Michael E. McCullogh, shows that focusing on the reasons why we should be grateful to the Universe for ten weeks not only helps raise the mood and feel happier but also improves our immune system.

4. When I started feeling better and more motivated, I took one little action towards a goal that I am struggling to achieve. Checking that task, that I had been delaying for a while, off my to-do list made me feel so good and really made my day.

Needless to say that for the rest of the day I felt very well.

And you, do you have any tips for surviving a lousy day?

______________________________________________________________________________

If you liked my post, why not share it?