Rescue a bad day

Try these strategies for turning a bad day around

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.
Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is about how to rescue a bad day.
We all have lousy days. It's part of the human condition.

(00:23):
And these lousy days come in different flavors. Some just
feel unproductive. You have little energy, and you're stuck on
something and you feel like you're wasting time. Those are frustrating,
but they're generally not as bad as the days that
are actively bad. It's not just that the universe seems
to be holding you back, it is actively conspiring to

(00:47):
throw what it can your way. For the former it
helps to just make small steps on something anything, But
for the really bad days, you might have to take
more active measures like these five ideas. One revisit examples
of when you did something awesome. I like to keep

(01:07):
a file of good book reviews or notes from pleased
editors or readers, and even on a day when everything
seems to be going wrong, this can be a reminder
that at least once in the past things have gone right. Two.
Get moving. One reason I like running is that I
always feel better once the endorphins kick in. Exercise is

(01:29):
a known mood booster, as is fresh air. And combine
the two. Stay with a fifteen minute walk outside and
life might feel more doable afterwards. Three Call in reinforcements.
People with strong social ties tend to be healthier and happier,
and one reason is that friends and family can put

(01:49):
bad days in perspective. Whatever you did or failed to do,
you're still loved. Make a quick call to someone who
can remind you of that. For indulge in a healthy treat,
or at least a reasonably healthy one. You can stop
by the library or bookstore to pick up a new
book you've been wanting to read. You can hold yourself

(02:11):
up for twenty minutes somewhere and read a magazine. Wander
around a florists shop even if you're not buying anything,
just to take in the smells and sights. Meeting a
friend or your partner for a glass of wine could
be a treat. Just make sure that the bad day
doesn't lead to an extra glass. Five. Picture the future

(02:32):
and picture the past. Do you have any memory of
today's date two years ago? What went wrong on that date?
Since you're human, no doubt something did, But two years on,
you most likely have no memory of it, which means
that two years from now, most likely today's disappointments will

(02:53):
look different too. Now that's not true for everything. Of course,
some disappointments or failures really do scar, and I don't
want to minimize the pain of the truly awful. But
for most things, two years softens memories Somewhat. In two years,
you will probably not feel the exact same way you

(03:15):
do now, and that can help us realize that sometimes
one of the blessings of time is that it does
keep passing. If we can't rescue today, tomorrow might be different.
How do you rescue a bad day? You can let
me know at Before Breakfast podcast at ihart media dot com.

(03:37):
In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and
here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody,
I'd love to hear from you. You can send me
your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with
me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod

(04:02):
that's B the number four, then Breakfast p o D.
You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast
podcast at i heeart Media dot com. That Before Breakfast
is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much,
I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is

(04:24):
a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from
I heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.