Getting Through a Bad Day
By Shelly Burke
Sometimes you get out of bed just knowing it will be a bad day. Other days start off just fine and then get bad after a phone call, spill, or something in the mail (or not in the mail!). PMS or not feeling well, although no guarantee of a bad day, can certainly make a day bad, as can a fight with your husband or kids.
Sometimes there seems to be no reason for a bad day besides a generic “funk” feeling. As David lamented, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me?” (Psalm 42:5)
Take these steps to help you get through the bad day.
- First of all, do something from your to-do list. Pick something that easy to complete so you feel you’ve accomplished something; fold a load of towels or clear out the dishwasher. Cross it off and then give yourself a break and forget your to-do list for the rest of the day!
- Have you been spending time with God on a regular basis? If not, resolve to do so, even if you just read a few Bible verses. Read a Psalm (or Philippians 1, or Romans
- Now do something nice for YOU! Call a friend you haven’t talked to for awhile. Start that new novel you’ve been too busy for. Spend time on a craft you’ve wanted to try. While your kids are napping, curl up under a blanket and take a nap—or cuddle with them while they sleep. Eat a big bowl of popcorn (with extra butter!) or some more chocolate. Listen to music and sing along!
- Don’t cook—order take-out, ask your husband to bring something home, get something out of the freezer, or have a simple breakfast for supper.
- Above all, give yourself a break. As a mom you have many roles and are responsible for a countless number of details that keep your household running. Everyone has “off” days; no one can operate at 100% (or even 90%) all of the time. It’s OK to have a bad day!
- If you have a lot of bad days, try to figure out why. Do you need take a little more time for yourself every day, to prevent some bad days? Time with God will almost always improve your mood, as will regular exercise and eating healthily (for the most part anyway—treats are necessary too!). Are you putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect?
Before you go to sleep, pray for a better tomorrow. And when you wake up, make your first thought, “This is the day that the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad in it!” Psalm 118:24.
Do you know someone who is having a bad day? Please consider forwarding this article to them!
(this excerpt is adapted from Shelly’s book Home is Where the Mom Is; a Christian Mom’s Guide to Caring for Herself, Her Family, and Her Home. To order, see the sidebar.)
Shelly is also blogging every day at www.nebraskafamilytimes.blogspot.com. Read today’s entry, “The Bible Tells Me So,” at that link.
