I'm not sure if it's just the influx of work I've experienced over the past two weeks (19 credits is a lot, guys. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!), the gloomy weather, or if it's just me, but out of the past fourteen days, I think I've only had one good day. From bouncing from class to work to dance practice to homework to the gym, it's really taken a toll on me. When you're stuck in a rut, it's easy to trick yourself into believing that everything is bad and the world is out to get you - the victim card is the first one you play, and that kind of thinking can put you in a perpetual circle of negative energy and sadness.
While it's never easy to pick up a fallen morale and carry on with the day when nothing has been going right, it's important to try your best to make the most of it and look past all of the negativity. Even though the last two weeks as a whole have been rough, I've been employing a couple of tactics over the past few days and they've really helped my psyche.
1. Treat yourself!
Make time for yourself, I cannot stress this enough! Now, this doesn't give you the freedom to binge-eat Cheez-its and watch every episode of Gossip Girl over again, though I wish this were the case. Buy yourself your favorite drink (my personal favorite is bubble tea!), sit down with a book or YouTube, and unwind for a little bit. In the hustle and bustle of a busy day, it is so easy to forget yourself, which I have found can lead to unsettling feelings. Even though you shouldn't neglect your priorities, don't neglect yourself either.2. Be nice to someone else.
"When you have a bad day, a really bad day, try and treat the world better than it treated you."
One of my favorite singers, Patrick Stump, once tweeted this, and it's stuck with me over the past few years. The best way to cure a case of the blues is to be kind to another person. This doesn't mean that you have to drop all of your activities and volunteer at a soup kitchen for the rest of the day (though that would be amazing, and I wish I could do that too) - sometimes holding the door for someone, offering a friend a compliment, or offering help to a stranger is enough to change your mood. Putting a smile on someone else's face always switches my whole day around, and I think if everyone tried doing this the world would be a much better place.
3. Work out!
In my humble opinion, workouts are a great way to kill two birds with one stone - you're improving both your physical and mental health! Going for a run, practicing yoga, dancing, or just being active has been proven to be correlated with happiness, and totally boosts your productivity and your mood.
4. Write. (or dance. or draw. or paint. or something.)
I am a big believer in utilizing your negative energy to create something positive, and whenever I have an awful day I like to create. My english teacher in high school used to tell us that happy people never write poetry; only sad people do, and I don't think I have ever known a statement regarding writing to be more true. Whether it's through choreography or poetry or even writing a blog post/journal entry, it is easier to channel my thoughts into art when I am feeling a lot of feelings. Coming away with a physical, tangible thing makes every emotion so much easier to cope with. Even if it seems awful in the moment, you might just look back a few days later and be surprised at what you've created.
5. Talk to someone
Sometimes, all you really need is a shoulder to cry on, and that's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. It's totally okay to admit that you need help with something, that you can't do it all on your own. This has been difficult for me because I like to believe I can do it all, but you get to the point where you realize that you don't have to do it all by yourself. Find a friend or a family member to talk to and let everything go - I promise you'll feel much better afterwards.
Honestly, writing this post was a therapeutic experience for me in itself, and I'm so thankful to have this blog because working on it always makes me feel a little bit better. If you're having a tough week, hang in there, because something good is coming your way real soon! I promise.
Honestly, writing this post was a therapeutic experience for me in itself, and I'm so thankful to have this blog because working on it always makes me feel a little bit better. If you're having a tough week, hang in there, because something good is coming your way real soon! I promise.
What do you do to cope with a bad day?
