What to Do When You’re Having a Really, Really Bad Day
We all have those days that blindside us. You wake up with the best intentions, maybe even thinking, today is going to be a good one, and then life shows up with a curveball. Having a bad day? A horrible week or month? Discover easy ways to turn your day around—from splashing cold water on your face to unplugging, journaling, and finding peace in small moments. Learn the secret to resetting your mood and mindset with this guide.
For me, one of those days started with a call from the school nurse. Her voice was calm but serious: my son had passed out, hit his head, and was sitting in the aid unit. My heart dropped straight into my stomach. In that moment, my emails, deadlines, and errands vanished. All I could think about was getting to him as fast as I could. The rest of the day was spent in the emergency room with him doing testing.
That’s how bad days work—they sneak in without warning. Sometimes it’s one big, scary, sad or frustrating moment. Other times, it’s a pile of little things—spilled coffee, forgotten appointments, traffic jams, harsh words—that snowball into overwhelm. Either way, you’re left drained and scrambling for a reset.
Here are some ways I’ve learned to recover, regroup, and change my mindset when life gets messy.
Your Guide To Resetting Your Mood And Mindset When You’re Struggling
1. Lean on Your People and Your Faith
That other day with my son, the first thing I did after seeing his green tone and cold clammy skin was to reach out and ask for prayers. I didn’t need advice—I just needed to know my people were praying for him. He had a bad concussion from falling and hitting his head and we needed to know why he fainted out of the blue.
Gathering with your people, even if it’s just sitting on the couch with coffee or taking a short walk together, can make the weight feel lighter.
And when the fear and what-ifs started swirling, I turned to prayer. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and handed the day over to God. For others, meditation or deep breathing works the same way—it brings you back to the present and gives your spirit a moment of peace.
2. Create Effective Verbal Cues And Mantras
To create effective verbal cues and mantras, choose short, positive phrases that reflect the mindset or behavior you want to strengthen. Start with “I” statements to affirm your ability to change, and always frame your words in the present tense to make them feel real and actionable.
Reframe the Story You’re Telling Yourself
Bad days often spiral because of how we think about them. That afternoon, I caught myself replaying the phone call again and again. I had to stop and remind myself: he’s safe, we’re okay, and I’ve survived every bad day before this one.
Repeat a mantra like: “Just for today, I’ll focus on what I can control.” Or, ask yourself: What’s one thing I can do right now that moves me forward? Even the smallest step forward gives you back a sense of power.
Keep your language empowering—avoid negatives like “not” or “can’t”—and make each mantra personal and specific to what you want to feel or achieve. Simplicity is key; the easier it is to remember, the more powerful it becomes in stressful moments. Place your mantra where you’ll see it often—on a mirror, in your journal, or in your phone notes—as a daily visual reminder to ground and guide your mindset.
3. Nurture Your Body and Soul
Eat a healthy meal or snack to nourish your body and support emotional recovery—avoid leaning on junk food, which might leave you feeling sluggish.
Prioritize a good night’s sleep to help your body and mind truly reset before a new day. Stress impacts your physical and emotional well-being. Practice deep breathing, meditation, prayer, journaling, or simply taking quiet moments to slow down and reconnect.
Your body thrives when hydrated. Keep a water bottle with you and add electrolytes or fresh fruit for extra balance and flavor. Here are some more ideas on what to for self-care.
4. Gratitude and Little Joys
When my son was finally resting peacefully, I found myself grateful for the nurse who cared for him, for the friend who checked in, for the chance to hug him tight. Gratitude doesn’t erase the stress, but it balances it.
Try listing three things you’re thankful for, three people you appreciate, and three things you love about yourself. Then sprinkle in some joy: cuddle your pet, call someone you love, indulge in chocolate, watch a funny movie, or scroll through old photos that make you smile. Sometimes joy is the medicine a heavy day needs.
5. Add Calming Rituals
Create little moments that soothe your soul. Light a candle and let the scent fill the room. Put on calming music, or maybe blast your favorite throwback playlist and sing at the top of your lungs. Brew a cup of tea and actually sit down to enjoy it slowly. Try a guided meditation or short devotional. These rituals remind you that there’s still calm to be found in the middle of chaos.
Mindfulness is key – click here to see more mindset habits that are life changing.
6. Journal! Write It Down
Journaling on a bad day is like giving your thoughts a safe place to land. When everything feels heavy and tangled in your mind, putting pen to paper helps untangle the mess. You don’t have to write perfectly or even make sense—just let it spill out.
Write what made you upset, how you felt, or even a list of things that went wrong. Often, once it’s out of your head and onto the page, it loses some of its weight. Journaling also creates space for reflection—you might notice patterns, find perspective, or even end with gratitude for small things you overlooked in the moment. Think of it as therapy with a notebook: private, honest, and deeply healing.
7. Shift Your Focus Outward- Focus On Others
When you feel stuck in your own hard day, sometimes the best reset is to think about someone else. Text a friend to tell her you appreciate her. Drop a kind note in someone’s mailbox. Hold the door open for a stranger. Acts of kindness, even tiny ones, pull you out of your own head and reconnect you to the bigger picture.
When you shift your focus, it helps you stay more calm and happy- see them all here.
8. Rest and Recovery- Self Care
By the end of that day, my body felt like it had been through a marathon. I turned off my phone, made a cup of chamomile tea, and curled up under the covers early. Sleep was the reset I needed most.
Practicing self-care isn’t just about feeling zen—it’s also about finding little moments of joy (and maybe laughing at yourself along the way).
- Try taking a walk outside, and if you end up talking to the squirrels about your feelings, consider it bonus therapy. Make yourself a fancy herbal tea; if it tastes like garden clippings, at least you tried something new and healthy—gold star for effort.
- Dance wildly in your kitchen to your favorite playlist—serious dance moves optional, air guitar required.
- Write down three things you’re grateful for, and if “good Wi-Fi” and “finally finding matching socks” make the list, even better.
- And remember: self-care can be as simple as putting on a face mask and pretending you’re starring in a luxury spa commercial—bonus points if your pet gives you a weird look. Sometimes, a little laughter and lightness is the best kind of self-care.
9. Unplug Yourself
When all else fails, let the day end. Tomorrow always brings a fresh start. Sometimes the best thing you can do is step away from the noise — the notifications, the endless to-do list, the constant hum of go, go, go. When you unplug, you create space to breathe, to think, to just be.
Remember, even your phone needs time to recharge — and so do you. Power down for a moment, take a walk, light a candle, breathe deeply, and reconnect with what really fuels you.
Unplugging isn’t giving up; it’s gearing up. You’re not falling behind — you’re filling back up so you can shine brighter than before
10. Light A Candle & Brew Some Tea
When life feels heavy or your mind won’t stop spinning, sometimes the simplest rituals bring the most peace. Light a candle and brew some tea. Watch the flame flicker, inhale the warmth of the cup in your hands, and let yourself exhale.
You don’t need to fix everything right now — just pause. Create a moment of calm that reminds you you’re safe, you’re loved, and you’re allowed to rest. Little comforts have a quiet way of bringing you back to yourself.
11. Splash Cold Water On Your Face
Sometimes all it takes to shift your energy is a splash of cold water. It’s like a mini wake-up call for your nervous system — snapping you out of the mental fog, slowing racing thoughts, and grounding you right back into the present moment.
Sometimes your brain needs a physical signal that you’re starting fresh. Splash cold water on your face, brush your teeth, and say out loud: “I’m starting over.” Take a hot shower and slip into clean clothes—bonus points if they’re cozy and soft. Step outside and let fresh air hit your skin.
Cold water triggers your body’s natural “dive reflex,” which slows your heart rate and signals your brain to calm down. It’s a physical reset button that says, “You’re okay. You can start over.”
So the next time your day unravels, head to the sink. Splash your face, take a breath, and let that cool water wash away the tension. It’s amazing how something so small can make you feel renewed — inside and out.
Quick Reset Cheat Sheet
When the day is falling apart, try one (or a few) of these fast fixes:
- 💦 Splash cold water on your face and say out loud, “I’m starting over.”
- 🚶♀️ Take a brisk walk, stretch, or do 20 jumping jacks to shake out the stress.
- 🛁 Take a hot shower or bath and change into something cozy.
- 🌿 Step outside—let fresh air and sunlight work their magic.
- 🙏 Pray, meditate, or take five deep breaths to calm your spirit.
- ✍️ Journal your frustrations, then list three things you’re grateful for.
- ☕ Brew tea, light a candle, or put on calming music for a mini ritual.
- 💌 Call or text a friend—connection heals.
- 🐶 Hug your child, cuddle your pet, or give someone a real hug.
- 🍫 Treat yourself to something small that makes you smile.
- 📵 Turn off screens early and let sleep reset your body and mind.
💛 Final Thought: A bad day doesn’t define you. Whether it’s a scary phone call, a pile of small frustrations, or everything going wrong at once, you have choices. Lean on your friends, lean on your faith, reset your body and your mind, sprinkle in gratitude, and allow yourself rest. You are stronger than the day that tried to knock you down.
