5 Things We May Learn After A Bad Day
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash
We’ve all had bad days. The days when nothing seems to go right. The days when we feel tested, exhausted, and completely overwhelmed. These days can feel all-encompassing and draining, but are sadly inevitable. Our hearts get broken, we don’t get accepted into the program we wanted, we get looked over for the promotion we’re perfect for, and it can leave us feeling lost. But I want to remind you that as tough as these days may get, often the storm will eventually pass, and the sky will clear.
When we’re going through challenging times, we can be quick to fear these feelings will never end - and when we’re going through good times, we can be quick to fear it’s going to end too soon. Some challenging times may never make sense to us no matter how much we try to understand them. But sometimes, after the fact, we may find ourselves with a clearer understanding or appreciation for something in our life. If you are going through a challenging time right now, I wanted to share 5 lessons to look for. These lessons aren't to justify or make sense of the situation - sometimes there's just no reason at all. Use these lessons as potential takeaways or next steps to follow.
5 Things We May Learn After A Bad Day
1. IT'S TIME TO CHANGE DIRECTIONS IN YOUR LIFE
Do you ever find that you get so caught up in daily life that it becomes difficult to step back and reassess if this is the right path for you or not? Sometimes, dark times become the catalyst of change and show us that it’s time to change directions in our life. You may want to go back to school or start a new career and begin a new chapter in your life.
2. IT'S TIME TO EVALUATE WHO OR WHAT DESERVES YOUR ENERGY
Sometimes, after going through tough and challenging times, we step back and evaluate who or what deserves our energy. There are a ton of reasons why someone may be unsupportive or unavailable during our challenging times, and it’s not always a reflection on how they feel about you or your situation. However, when the behaviour is ongoing or leaves you feeling drained, sometimes it’s a good idea to set boundaries or even to take a break from toxic people. Your feelings and desires are valid.
3. IT'S TIME TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR HEALTH
Things like getting outside for a daily walk or fuelling your body with the food it needs to carry you through your day may not mitigate a bad day or end tough times, but sometimes it can help to give us a little strength.
4. IT'S TIME TO CHANGE YOUR PRIORITIES
Bad days and tough times can sometimes shine a light on our priorities. We may begin to evaluate what fills up our day or where we choose to spend our free time. It’s okay to want to change things up, and it’s okay to reevaluate what’s going on.
5. IT'S TIME TO PUT OTHER AREAS OF YOUR LIFE INTO PERSPECTIVE
Our perspectives can really change after we’ve gone through tough times. We may realize that it’s not a big deal if our coffee order is messed up or if the grocery store is out of our favourite snacks. We may realize that the things that use to consume our energy aren’t worth the struggle as much.