How to Fall Out of Sh*tty Days

I usually wake up in the morning and do a few things to get my mindset on track. It’s different for everyone, but for me there are a few basic ingredients.

Prayer. Meditation. Journaling. Stretching. Once I do those 4 things, I always feel significantly better than before I do them. Getting off on the right foot each day, has been critical for my overall wellness.

Today – like most of my days – got off to a really great start. Unfortunately, it didn’t stay that way. I had some unforeseen changes in my schedule, that changed my plans for the day and threw me off balance. I usually can be flexible, but today I was not – I felt bothered by the change. Next, I encountered some unfair circumstances during an exchange of services. Again – not a big deal. I can usually brush it off – but today I did not. Again, I felt bothered. And just that easily, that was all it took for my entire mood and energy to take a complete nose dive.

The rest of my morning did not include any notable hardships or complications- Just another day at the office. On the inside, however, I was feeling anything but normal. My head started running wild. The serenity I usually float on was completely diminished.

Thoughts of insecurity were flooding my mind. Insecurity about my life. Insecurity about myself. Insecurity about my finances. Insecurity about my health. Insecurity about my abilities. Insecurity about my purpose. Insecurities galore.

But fear not…

Luckily, by this point in my life, I know how to recognize and react. I recognize the mindset I have fallen into, and I react to change it. These are the steps I took, and there are many others that can be taken in times of fear, or in times of panic, or in times of depression, etc.

STEP 1 – FIND SUPPORT

I am a strong believer that every single one of us needs a mentor. Find a person who has something you want, and ask them to mentor you. They might have a career you want. They might have an education you want. They might have a hobby you want. They might have a certain character you seek. A mentor is simply a person who can help you keep your goals in perspective, because they have already walked the path that you are presently walking. In their experience, they are able to shed light that we may not be able to see when going through our journey ourselves.

I reached out to my mentor and had a raw, open session with her. We have spent years developing our relationship, and really getting to know the depths of one another – within a 10 minute conversation she was able to shift my perspective and give me valuable insight into my “shitty day.” Remember, someone can always see things differently from the outside – than we can from the inside.

STEP 2 – CLEANSE & PURGE

One of the tools I have learned from my mentor, is to cleanse and purge my thoughts. She has taught me to take Inventory of my Fears. Whenever we are feeling unhappy, or feeling dissatisfied, or feeling irritable, or feeling discontent, we are usually hiding some form of fear deep within us.

This next part is very important, please take note: Anything that troubles us in life, is a direct result of two fears. Fear of not getting what we want OR fear of losing what we already have. This fact is used as a basis for a Fear Inventory. All you need is a piece of paper and a pen. Then you write down your fears in the following form: I have fear that… I will not have a good day. I have fear that… my cat will get sick. I have fear that… I am not safe. I have fear that… I don’t like my job. I have fear that…my husband will cheat on me. I have fear that…my life is boring. I have fear that…I am wasting my time. Etc.

When you can get completely honest with yourself and put pen to paper, you can sometimes discover a deeper root to your “shitty day.” I did – and it made a world of difference. This tool gives you the information to see what is true and what is a lie clouding your thoughts and blocking the positive energy out of your day. It is not easy to go deep – your brain will tell you you don’t need to do this. Your brain will tell you that you are just having a bad day and it will simply pass. And it might. But if you want to grow to your next level – it is critical to discover – and eliminate - these fears as soon as possible.

STEP 3 – CHEMICAL CHANGE

I cannot recall a time where creating a chemical change in my body, failed to improve my mood. No – this does not mean to take a drink, or smoke a joint. LOL. Discover a fun way to create endorphins. For me, it is weightlifting. For you, it can be taking a brisk walk, riding a bike, doing some jumping jacks, trying some yoga, running, dancing, playing some basketball, jump roping, the list is endless.

Endorphins trigger a feeling in the body similar to that of morphine. I don’t know many other things that can make you feel the way morphine does! Do you? Our bodies are created to move. We are created to release this feel-good hormone to maintain happiness and create elevated moods, so let’s use it! Again – when having a “shitty day” you will not feel like it, but you must force yourself. Wellness is about taking action. Life is about taking action.

THE REST OF MY DAY…

These were the actions I took today. On some “shitty days” I take different actions, but today – these worked spectacularly today for me. I got back on track, with a breath of fresh air. There are times when all I need to do is create a 10-item gratitude list. There are days when I just need some happy music. But there are also days when I need to do a little bit more work and dig deeper.

As always – I challenge you. I challenge you to try a Fear Inventory. I challenge you to cause changes on a chemical level. And most importantly - I challenge you to find a mentor. It will change your life. And with all that said, I will leave you with this….

“Find people you want to surround yourself with: the inspired, the passionate, the motivated, the grateful, and the open minded. “