You slam your door and shuffle your feet fast mumbling some curse words to yourself.
You fall straight into your bed like a giant tree log that has just been cut. Even the walls in your room know you’ve just had a bad day.
Some bad days can hit hard. And while many adults may find it easy to regulate their emotions and snap out of a bad mood, many others still struggle with regulating emotions.
What is Emotional regulation?
In very simple words, emotional regulation is when the rational side of your brain is able to connect to the emotional side. It is all about understanding, managing, and expressing our emotions in a healthy way. It doesn’t mean suppressing your feelings; instead, it’s about responding to them in a constructive and balanced manner.
So, why does emotional regulation matter? Well, imagine a rollercoaster without brakes – emotions can take us on wild rides if left unchecked. By learning to regulate our emotions, we gain control over our reactions, make better decisions, and build stronger relationships.
Whether it’s happiness, anger, sadness, or fear, each emotion has its purpose. Think of your emotions as signals from your body, telling you something about your experience. Now how you respond to them is what matters the most.
Once we understand our emotions, the next step is managing them effectively, and in this post I cover things you can do to recover from a tough emotional day.
First up are things you can say to yourself to lighten your mood.
5 things to say to yourself when you’re having a bad day.
- I’m just having a bad moment not a bad life
- “This too shall pass.”
Remind yourself that difficult moments are temporary. Acknowledge that bad days are part of life, and tomorrow is a new opportunity for a fresh start. - “I am resilient, and I’ve overcome challenges before.”
Reflect on your past successes and challenges you’ve conquered. Recognize your inner strength and resilience, knowing that you have the ability to overcome obstacles. - “I am in control of my attitude and reactions.”
Empower yourself by recognizing that you have control over how you respond to challenges. Even if you can’t control external circumstances, you can choose how you approach and handle them. - “I deserve kindness and compassion, especially from myself.”
Be kind to yourself, especially on tough days. Treat yourself with the same compassion you would offer to a friend. Acknowledge that it’s okay not to be perfect and that everyone has challenging days. - “I am capable of finding solutions and making positive changes.”
Shift your focus toward solutions and positive actions. Instead of dwelling on the difficulties, remind yourself of your problem-solving abilities and take small steps towards making positive changes.
Activities to engage in when you are having a had day
Next, things to do when you’re having a bad day.
1. Vent: Pour it all out. To a friend, family or your journal.
2. Music: I am yet to come across anyone who does not enjoy at least one type of music. Get your favourite song and listen to it. Music serves as a distraction and a natural mood booster
3. Physical activity: moving is another great way to elevate your mood. Some good ideas include going for a walk, dancing, following a workout on YouTube, cycling, doing yoga or stretching
4. Coloring: if it’s not feasible to move around, do something distracting but pleasurable like Coloring. Here are some great adult coloring books.
Quotes for when you are having a Bad day
Next, Read these 10 quotes that hope to bring encouragement
1. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller (Reminding us to look beyond the present negativity and find beauty in hidden places.)
2. “Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” – Victor Hugo (Offering hope that difficult times are temporary.)
3. “Sometimes you don’t realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness.” – Susan Gale (Highlighting the potential for growth within challenges.)
4. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson (Shifting focus from immediate results to the positive actions we take.)
5. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein (Encouraging forward motion to avoid getting stuck in negativity.)
6. “There are two ways to get through life: to believe nothing is a miracle or to believe everything is.” – Albert Einstein (Promoting an optimistic perspective that can find wonder even in difficult moments.)
7. “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” – Aristotle Onassis (Emphasizing the importance of maintaining hope even in darkness.)
8. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu (Encouraging small, positive actions to break overwhelming situations into manageable steps.)
9. “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Jimmy Johnson (Reminding us that even small improvements can make a big difference.)
10. “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” – Margaret Thatcher (Offering resilience and the message that challenges can be overcome.)
Final thoughts
Bad days happen and what’s really important is how we handle them. These activities, quotes and suggestions are useful to hit the reset button on your mood.
These tips are backed by science and much has been written in psychology articles, so I’m
Confident they may help you too.
