Hard days are part of life, and that means it can be challenging to find joy when it feels like the wave is right above you, keeping you down.
Yesterday was a hard day; I woke to the worst version of myself. I’d ignored my intuition nudging me to slow down, and didn’t listen to my body, fueled by caffeine but exhausted. I kept going and dealt with my stress by eating every piece of chocolate that came my way. Life felt like one roadblock after another, but I kept plugging along. So, of course, I woke up to a lousy day.
I knew what I needed, time to re-center and fill my cup, but I was in such a terrible mood that it was hard to discern what would even help me at that moment. I tried to find joy in the little moments but was unable to. I found myself going through the motions feeling numb and apathetic.
Feeling like a fraud, I asked myself, “How could I do the heart-based work that I do when I couldn’t even feel gratitude, joy, or even contentment?” So, I canceled my plans for the day and spent some time with myself.
As the day went on, I sat with my mood. I reorganized my home, went for walks, journaled my heart out, and dumped my emotional baggage onto virtual paper.
I allowed every thought and every feeling to flow through me without judgment. At times, it even made me feel worse, but eventually, I found that it helped to acknowledge my feelings, rather than shame or repress them.
It was the momentary space I needed to gain enough emotional relief to have room to reflect and eventually find my joy.
Hard days are never easy, and we have no choice but to experience it until it ends (and it will end). However, we do have a choice on how we handle a bad day. We can let it steal our joy, or we can mindfully work through it. Perhaps, you can’t cancel all your plans as I did, but you can trust your inner knowing to guide you through it or maybe try some of these techniques:
SPEND SOME TIME OUTDOORS
I cannot say enough about getting outdoors and especially on hard days. Staying inside all day can make a bad day feel worse. If you can’t make it outside, bring the outdoors in. Take time to care for your indoor plants or simply look out the window and view nature, focusing on the little details like how the leaves sway in the wind.
PLAY WITH YOUR KIDS (Little Humans and Fur Babies)
Seeing the joy exude from our babies is contagious and sure to melt a hardened heart. This is one of my favorite ways to find joy at the moment, especially when life begins to feel overwhelming. I like to put on some fun and upbeat music and have a dance party with my pups!
PERFORM A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS
There are so many benefits of performing a random act of kindness. It produces neurochemicals that uplift us and give us a sense of well-being, physically and emotionally. On a spiritual note, I believe that the energy you radiate into the world comes back to meet you. Performing a random act of kindness not only raises the other person’s vibration but yours as well!
GET IT OUT
Brain dump journaling is a cathartic experience. The practice allows you to declutter your brain by emptying your emotions and writing them down on paper (or, in my case, typing it on a screen). If you don’t have a journal, then perhaps you talk with a trusted friend. A dear soul sister once told me that she has a rage partner. She has a person (not necessarily a close personal friend) she calls up when she needs to release and verbally gets it out while her partner holds space for her by just listening. Both methods offer space to find a little perspective and possibly shift your perception of the hard day.
Believe it or not, I am grateful for my hard day experience. It brought lessons that I needed to feel to fully understand. The greatest lesson I learned is that I could find my joy even in the hardest of days.
Be Well, Be Radiant and Just Be YOU,
P.S. Loves!
Here is a grounding meditation for when you are having a hard day. Find your center and be present.
P.P.S. Loves!
Just for smiles! Remember Ghostbusters? I remember how it made me feel as a kid. It was fun, light hearted, and had a happy ending.
Here's a "weiner" version of the movie starring two dachshunds! It has the same feeling as the original movie but throw in cute puppy power and it's warm fuzzy feelings for days! (I love me some doxies!🐶❤️)
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