Permission To Have A Bad Day
You know those days where you just wake up on the wrong side of the bed and everything seems to go downhill from there? The days where you feel like crawling back in bed just so you can start the day over again? We've all been there.
I used to subscribe to the conventional wisdom that if I just tried to act happy and smile, happiness would soon follow. With a healthy dose of prayer added in, that does work a lot of the time. But some days, that bad-day slump just settles in and nothing can shake it.
On those days, I've found that they are made even worse by my attempts to be happy. The pasted-on smiles and self-directed pep talks tend to just annoy me. I suppose it could be hormonal or stress-related. Whatever it is, I've learned to just go with the flow and grant myself permission to have a bad day.
Surprisingly, many times when I do that and just give in to my mood, I find I start feeling better. The disasters of the day just don't seem as bad when viewed under the guise of "mom's just having a bad day." And maybe I even yell a little less or pout a little less. Because after all, I am the one having the bad day. That doesn't mean I need to force my whole family onto that lonely little bad day island with me.
So yeah, I'd have to say giving myself permission to have a bad day definitely works for me. I can be grumpy with out guilt.
Do you ever give yourself permission to have a bad day? When you do have a bad day, what are some of the things you do to get through it, and to make the day easier for yourself and your family?
Stop by We Are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesday.
7 comments:
I do that, too, every once in a while. Number one, it takes the pressure off to perform or get anything accomplished, once you've acknowledged the bad day. The whole day is already shot, so whatever you manage to get done is icing on the cake.
Also, it gives me permission to release a little steam. I'm the type who nods and smiles a lot, and you don't know I'm having a bad day until I blow. But when I do, it's usually with a little black humor, which lightens things up.
Plus, a bad day is really good blog fodder! (And blogging is a great coping technique--just ask my therapist!)
Thanks, Kate, for the reminder that it is OK to have one of those days.
I think, as moms especially.....we raise the bar too high for ourselves and then it creates a vicious circle of guilt too.
And yes....blogging is the perfect pressure release valve!
Hope you are having a *great* day today~
*~Michelle~*
Ok - my friend - you were reading my mind. Check out my blog post for today. I'm there with you.
I can totally relate with bad days. I've had a LOT more than I care to mention but I'm looking up for help. God is good!
I try to listen to soft uplifting songs, call a friend who will listen, have a cup of coffee and curl up with a good book, etc. :D
Have a good Wednesday!
Not only am I not good at this I also am not good about remembering that my daughter and hubby are just human too and THEY deserve to have just a bad day. This is such a good thing! I seriously am RIGHT now giving myself permission to have a bad day...there I said it!
Oh I've been there and done that. I've learned also to allow myself some time alone or a day off. Homeschooling high schoolers can get a littler hairy, so sometimes calling an all day recess works :-)
Yes! I am a firm believer in letting myself call for a do-over for my day.
I also try to practice Mommy Mental Health Day, when I can escape alone for hours at a time and my fab mom has the kids for me. Love that!
(yup, blogging is better than therapy, sandwiched)
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