Okay, so your day hasn’t been going as well as you had hoped it would when you rolled out of bed this morning. That’s okay! It is normal to have bad days or days where you do not feel as productive, motivated, excited, or as happy as you normally are. I am here to tell you that you are not alone in experiencing bad days! I am here to share my top tips and tricks on how I turn a not-so-great day right around!
Tip #1: If something is stressing you out, take a step back from it!
As a college student who gets stressed out over the smallest of things, this is my holy grail tip for turning a bad day around. When you get stressed out over one thing and let that one thing consume you, it’s possible to enter a mental spiral and begin thinking about a million other things that will only contribute to a negative mindset and feeling. If you find yourself feeling stressed out or overwhelmed, walk away from whatever that thing is. If it is schoolwork, close your laptop or notebook and walk to Starbucks to grab a coffee and decompress. If it is a situation between you and a friend, turn off your phone and disconnect from social media and technology for a little while. No matter what is stressing you out at a specific moment, I promise you that this feeling of stress will subside.
Tip #2: Listen to your favorite song or favorite album!
One of the easiest ways to turn your frown upside down is to listen to a song or album that makes you feel good! For me, opening up Spotify and clicking play on a Mac Miller album or any song by One Direction can change my mood almost instantly. Music can alter your mood! In fact, music can release dopamine (the neurotransmitter that can positively impact one’s mood) in the brain when someone is having a positive experience (AIMM, 2019)!
Tip #3: Practice Self-Care!
It’s okay to not be motivated and not want to do things when you are feeling less than 100%, However, if you want to change your mindset to a positive one, I recommend practicing some basic self-care techniques. When I am feeling down, I make myself do something that will make me feel better! Some of my personal favorite self-care activities include; working out, running to CVS to buy a bag of Reese’s Cups, calling my parents or one of my close friends to have a chat and catch up, and putting on a face mask while I binge watch Criminal Minds. There are no rules or guidelines for what is considered self-care–if it makes you feel good and boosts your mood, that’s all that matters.
Tip #4: Nap It Off
Taylor Swift may encourage everyone to “shake it off”, and while dancing away a negative mood is a great idea, I am a big fan of napping it off. In childhood, I was blind to the beauty that is an afternoon nap. But, as I have gotten older, I have come to cherish an afternoon power (or not power, maybe like a few hours long) naps. I have found that some days when I am not feeling my best mentally or physically, taking a nap lets me recharge my brain and refocus on all the good that is going on in my life.
I hope if you gain anything from this article it’s that it is okay to have bad days! There is no shame in feeling down or not like yourself. What matters is that you let yourself experience these feelings and emotions, but do not let them consume you. Small and simple activities can turn those bad days around in a matter of minutes :)