What I Do When I Am Having a Rough Day
It may not be what you would do.
How do you begin to turn things around after a rough day? Rupi Kaur Gratitude Writing Prompts
For me, this is something I put into practice many years ago. I take fifteen minutes, maybe twenty minutes, and hang out with it. What is it exactly that is going on? Is there something I can do about it? Is it worth crying over? Is it worth swearing about? Will I feel better crying/swearing? Yes. Okay, do it!
Sometimes it means going outside, calling a friend, talking to the hubby, planning to go to a meeting, and then dropping it until then.
Once my time is over, I have to move on. A rough day doesn’t get to have my whole day. I learned I have to live in this day only. I can make plans for the future; I can recall the past, but I never stay there. Living in today makes it so much easier.
When I started staying in the present, I used to say the serenity prayer over and over again. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.” That worked for me to get me into the present.
When we are living in the future, we worry about things that will probably never happen. If we are living in the past, of course, there is sadness.
Somehow, I never dwelled on the good stuff though, always the trauma, grief, and loss. When I gave myself time to grieve for a time each day, it ended.
It resolved. I dealt with past trauma, I forgave, I didn’t forget everything, nor should you, but I could move on and not be stuck in the past. Today, I do live in the present. I never used to. This way, the rough day doesn’t last.
What is a rough day now? I think about something I said in the moment or have to say something due to being hurt or everyday things that come up, like a concern over my truck having a recall.
Then there is a loved one ill, in the hospital, a diagnosis. An oncology appointment. Can I set it down after a brief time with it? Yes.
With anxiety, I know it is important to breathe. I want to laugh every day and cry when it is appropriate. Sometimes it is daily. The world is in trouble. But do I have to stay there? No. I have gone there with this topic. I won’t stay.
My truck is going in to have the recall fixed. Hubby and I are going out to lunch, we are going to visit our grandson and his baby in their new place. That is moving on.
Work on taxes is later today. I have put it off too long this year. It took a while to get everything we needed. Places are booked, so I am going to do our taxes this year. Sound confident? I am not. However, it doesn’t have to consume my day.
I have nine days to get taxes done and I am hopeful that a week will be enough, and I will have time to get them where they need to go. Wouldn’t it be nice if I could get them done this weekend? Maybe I will make that as a goal. I have no definite plans for this weekend.
My daily practice is doing a daily inventory, and planning a repair if need be. I believe in prayer and meditation or talking to a higher power. I say/write a gratitude list most days. That is why these writing prompts interested me.
Then I work with others. I do the working with others in many ways. It helps me to focus on doing for others.
This month I organized a fundraiser on Facebook for Team Carrie Powwow For Hope, raising funds for the American Indian Cancer Foundation. That fundraising end date is May 4, 2024, this year.
Last month I had a Poem a Day in February. It helps people do grief work, even if they don’t realize it. When I take the focus off of me, my life goes better. It turns the rough day around almost every time.
Feeling sorry for self and thankfulness is the chip my husband drew for us to work on today. He said it has been a while since this one. It is nice to have a focus each day. I think it goes along with this topic nicely.
The chips are helpful for him. He gives them to guys he sponsors. I get to be involved too, as he pulls me in by letting me know every day what chip we will be working on. I told him I had most of them down. Then he says he put this one in just for me!
~~~~
First published by Mindful Mental Health on medium.com
About the Creator
Denise E Lindquist
I am married with 7 children, 27 grands, and 12 great-grandchildren. I am a culture consultant part-time. I write A Poem a Day in February for 8 years now. I wrote 4 - 50,000 word stories in NaNoWriMo. I write on Vocal/Medium weekly.
Keep reading
More stories from Denise E Lindquist and writers in Psyche and other communities.
Trauma, Grief, and Loss
Can we fill in the rest of the frames? Yes. For sure we can add grief and loss. Chronic bereavement is another. Overdose. Suicide. Addiction. More specific abuse; rape, domestic violence, incest, physical and emotional neglect. Or fill in the blanks with your trauma.
By Denise E Lindquist2 months ago in Psyche
"Unusual Behavior: Oumuamua Heading Our Way"
Nobody expected an alien visitor in 2017, until 'Oumuamua showed up. Its odd shape and strange behavior left scientists baffled, sparking wild theories, including those of alien origins. Discovered by Hawaiian astronomers, its name, meaning "messenger from afar," adds to its enigmatic charm. But now, NASA scientists have issued a final, shocking warning: 'Oumuamua is not what we thought, and it's heading back to Earth right now. Join us as we race against time to uncover its true nature before it approaches our planet again! Oumuamua is really important because it's the first thing ever to come into our solar system from somewhere else far away in space. This is a huge deal and very interesting because it's unlike anything we've ever encountered. Imagine someone or something new showing up in your neighborhood; that's how scientists feel about Oumuamua. When it was first noticed in the year 2017, it caught everyone by surprise. Since then, people, especially scientists, have been really curious, trying hard to understand what this object is and where it originated from. It's not like the normal space rocks or ice balls, known as asteroids and comets, that we usually find zooming around our sun. That's what makes it so special and a bit of a puzzle for everyone. When we speak about Oumuamua, we're discussing a very intriguing topic in the world of astronomy. This visitor from beyond has wandered into our solar neighborhood, and it was something no one predicted or expected. You can think of it as an unexpected guest at a gathering, where everyone is interested in learning more about the newcomer. What makes it stand out is its strangeness and how it differs from everything we're used to in our cosmic environment. This has sparked a lot of enthusiasm and curiosity among the scientific community.
By Manjunatha5 days ago in Psyche
Spectating
I can't imagine dying like this, in a place like this; on a cold, dirty pavement with rush hour traffic screaming by and a crowd looking on while paramedics struggle to find space to move. Who could? Deep down we all think there should be a reason, a moment of clarity... or a family presence, at least. For this man, this boy, the rail thin woman lighting a cigarette in a faux fur jacket will have to do - she's been here since the start, her eyes tracking the movement of my shoulders as we fight to keep him on the right side of the line.
By S. A. Crawford5 days ago in Fiction
Comments (5)
I love this story. You utilized your support system well. Procrastinating is everyone’s thing when dealing with an uncomfortable task ahead.
It's so nice that you live in the present. I tend to live in the past 😅 This piece was so positive, just like you!
Thank you for sharing this
Well written article about anxiety and it management.
Fantastic how to & advice!!! Loved it!!!💕❤️❤️