We all have bad days. I’ve had a couple just this week, so I thought I’d ask you guys for your thoughts…
What’s your favorite bad-day antidote?
I have a few bad-day antidotes: lounging in the bath with a Martini, eating an ice-cream, going for a bike-ride. If the day’s a real doozy, I usually end up getting to the point where I realize, “Oh, today’s actually ridiculous. Nothing’s going to work. Okay then. I won’t take anything seriously until tomorrow.”
But my favorite bad-day antidote is spending time in my garden.
The garden is a good place for getting a fresh perspective
As you can see, my garden is a long way from the house, and it has some pretty fantastic views. Something about being out there changes my perspective slightly—it’s easier to feel distanced from my troubles, and to focus on what’s good.
There are plenty of good things in the garden: small things growing, big things ready to eat, weird insects, birds, and little, determined, indigenous plants happily coexisting with the broccoli and lettuces. My hens are nearby, the forest stands, green and still, just over the garden fence, and since we live on a hill, the sky feels almost close enough to touch.
The garden presents all sorts of paradoxes: it’s seasonal, yet it persists; it promotes growth through decay; it is at once still and a hive of activity. Ultimately, it’s calm and calming, and on even the worst days, the garden restores me—it makes me feel good again.
Tell me: what’s your favorite bad-day antidote?
About georgina
A big expensive coffee. Nothing turns my day around like a lot of caffeine and a little sugar.
Looking at things from a perspective. It’s only one day. One of many days to come. This always works for me.
My bad-day antidotes are a chocolate bar, my favorite online and video games, a good book, workbooks or projects that I can do, and playing with both my daughter and my baby toy poodle Chico. A good movie or a walk around the neighborhood also helps alleviate my sour mood.
For me… a good long workout at the gym usually clears my mind. Or going for a run outdoors.
And I agree with Pawel,… don’t get too hung up on it. Most things are not as bad as them initially seem. 🙂
– Craig
Best bad day antidote: a hot shower then watching some trashy t.v. shows in my pjs. It helps me put the bad day behind me and get ready for the great day tomorrow.
My bad day antidote is to get some perspective! The very second I shift my focus and consider that my worst day is someone else’s dream day – my personal pitty party comes to a screatching hault!
I have this quote posted at my desk: “I complained because I had no shoes, then I met a man that had no feet!”
Noodle on that!
I am having one of those bad days today! Not sure if I may be coming down with something, considering going back to bed for a nap. Doesn’t help that it is cold, gray and wet outside. I’d love to get some warm fresh air!
Bernice
http://livingthebalancedlife.com/2010/you-cant-change-everything/
My bad-day antidote is a glass of wine in a quiet area of the house with no deadlines or responsibilities hanging over my head. Once I’ve had a chance to unwind and settle down, I find that everything seems much better and I’m ready to face the world again!
Would have to say listening/watching standup comedy. The like of Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, Gabriel Iglesias, Russell Peters and Jeff Dunham put me in a good mood every time.
Good quality hot chocolate with a splash of Mint Bailey’s and a few hours with a good book. Or any version of Pride and Prejudice, with the 6-hour BBC one taking the lead if it’s been a seriously shitty day.
These are great ideas, guys 🙂 think I’ll be coming back to this next time I have a bad day…
I usually watch something funny, either a movie or a show on Hulu. Family Guy always works great for me. Sometimes when a new episode of a show I enjoy is out on Hulu I watch it to make the day better.
Hmmm something recent I started doing to relax is play WoW, never thought I’ll be doing that but it does help. Keeps me entertained when there’s nothing to watch.
Well, the other thing that’s a great bad day antidote is sex… when my gf is in town. So the two above are the primary antidotes =)