Is today going to be a good day for you?

We all have good days and bad days.  The good days RAWWWKKK and the bad days suck.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we could control how today will turn out?

This begs the question, what determines which way this day will go?  Is it pure chance?  Is it a combination of things?  What exactly is involved?

These are some interesting questions to ponder.  I’ve been wondering about it a lot lately.  After all, I’d like to avoid as many bad days as possible.  Wouldn’t you?

I mean it only makes sense.  If you have a choice, wouldn’t you choose to make today a good day?  I definitely would.  Let’s look at this and see what can be done.

The Good Day vs. Bad Day Dilemma

A dilemma is a situation where a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives.  Please notice the emphasis on the difficulty involved in this choice.

Every day has the potential to be either good or bad.  So, how do you decide which bucket to put today in?  It is normally based on what happens, right?  If good things happen to you like you get promoted or you close a big deal or you get along especially well with your spouse today, you count it as good.

If bad things happen, like you have a flat tire on the way to work or your computer crashes losing your latest project or your client chews you out for something that was beyond your control, then you feel like you’ve had a bad day.

For the most part, you likely decide whether today is good or bad based on circumstances.  Circumstances that are often beyond your control.

Here’s where the dilemma comes into play.  You choose.  You decide.  You pick.  In your mind, you determine which way today is going.  It is no doubt a difficult choice, but it is definitely a choice.

Why would you choose today to be a bad day?  Bad days SUCK!

It is hard when circumstances don’t go as you desire to choose to have a good day anyway, but it is a choice that you can make.  In fact, it is the best choice you can make.  The only other alternative is to have a bad day and why in the world would you make that choice?

7 Strategies to Help You Make It a Good Day

As I’ve already said, I know the choice to have a good day is difficult sometimes.  When you are temporarily caught up in this dilemma and trying to decide which way to go, it is smart to have a few strategies available to help you make the right choice.

Here are seven quick strategies you can use to help yourself make it a good day when circumstances seem to be taking it in the other direction:

1.  Stop Rehashing It

When something “bad” happens, we tend to want to rehash it over and over again in our heads.  This will almost certainly ruin the whole day.  Instead, do something simple to comfort yourself, let it go and move on.  This will help you make today a good day.

2.  Do Something Fun

If you’re mad or frustrated, you need to find a way to release it.  You’ve got to get your mind off the bad thing(s) and lighten up your mood.  The best way I know to do this is to engage in something fun.  This has a really good chance of turning your day around.

3.  Listen to Your Favorite Music

Music has a powerful effect on our emotions.  You can leverage this to your advantage.  If your day feels challenging, then crank up your favorite songs and let them carry you to a better place.

4.  Go for a Walk in the Woods

This one is a two-fer really.  A brisk walk will make your body produce endorphins which naturally improve your mood and being out in nature is additionally relaxing.  This is a quick and easy way to make it a better day.

5.  Get Something Done

You always feel better when you accomplish something meaningful.  Therefore, if you are struggling to make it a good day, you can declutter and organize your area to improve your mood.  It will get your mind off the negative and make you feel a sense of achievement.

6.  Snuggle with Your Honey

If you need a quick pick-me-up, ask your honey for a hug.  There is nothing in this world that can turn your day around quicker than simply feeling loved and cared for.  This will remind you that your life is good and that the really important things in your life are okay.

7.  Get Some Help

You may need help overcoming whatever obstacles are challenging you or you may simply need help choosing to make this a good day.  Either way, asking a good friend for some support is a great way to get things headed back in the right direction.

Do Something to Make It a Good Day

The choice about whether today will be a good day or a bad one really is up to you.  If it seems to be going the wrong way, then use one or more of the strategies above to help yourself make the right choice.  Do your own intervention to save yourself from having a bad day.  Obviously, the list above is not all-inclusive, but it should stimulate your thinking in the right direction.  If you need more, then check out this list of 52 Ways to Change Your Mood.  I hope you have a good day!

Do you struggle with choosing to have a good day when circumstances are working against you?  How do you deal with it?  Leave a comment on this post and let me know.

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

Changing bad habits or addictions is extremely difficult.  We all have our habits that we cling to despite their negative affect on our lives.  We often want to do the right thing, but the harder we try to change, the more we end up giving in to our bad habits.  It can become a destructive cycle in our lives.  So, how do we overcome these obstacles and start creating positive change?  That’s what I’d like to address today.

I’d like to share a few observations from a real-life success story.  Yesterday, I posted An Inspirational Story of Positive Choices and Radical Change.  In this article, a reader of mine, Ryan, told the story of how he overcame his addiction to drugs and alcohol.  He completely flipped his life from one of despair and destruction to a life of growth and hope.  How did he do it?

How to create positive change in your life.

Let’s examine Ryan’s story and see what we can learn about creating positive change.  I think there is a clear progression and that these things apply regardless of what you face.  Your bad habit doesn’t have to be as extreme as drug and alcohol abuse.  It could be smoking, overeating, or losing your temper.  Whatever it is, these lessons from Ryan can help you beat it.

1.  Find something or someone that makes change worth it.

You need motivation to create positive change in your life.  As I mentioned and as you probably already know, change is hard.  However, if we have a good reason to change, then it becomes much easier.  In Ryan’s case, he realized he had to change or his girlfriend was going to leave him.  Many people change bad habits affecting their health for their children’s sake or to avoid divorce.  Whatever it is, you have to find a reason to change that is bigger than the habit.  Do it for someone you love!

2.  Make a firm decision to change and stick to it.

At some point, you have to decide that you are sick and tired of wallowing in your bad habit.  You have to choose a better life for yourself.  No one can do it for you.  You have to face the day of reckoning and decide to take the high road.  I love how Ryan put it.  He said, “That’s when I vowed to change.”  A vow is defined as a solemn promise.  It has to come from your heart.  Addicts often promise to change when faced with consequences, but then fail to follow through.  This decision has to come from deep within you and needs to be backed up with the motivation from #1 above.

3.  Change your friends and surroundings.

You must get away from those things that influence and encourage you in the wrong direction.  If your bad habit is extreme like an addiction, then you need to get radical.  Stop associating with your so-called friends that participate in your bad habit with you.  Ryan stopped going to parties and distanced himself from his friends.  We are all social creatures and the peer pressure is usually too much to resist.  You need to get away to a new environment that will give you the freedom you need to make positive choices.  A pastor of mine that was a recovered cocaine addict said it this way, “You have to change your playmates, playground and play things.” 

4.  Change is gradual so be patient with yourself.

Notice in Ryan’s story that even after he vowed to stop drinking, he was still smoking marijuana.  It took him awhile to realize the extent of his bad habits.  He had to get free of the effects of the alcohol first before he could see what else he needed to change.  You cannot expect yourself or others to change completely overnight.  Most people experience setbacks when they commit to change, but don’t let this stop you.  It is discouraging, but it doesn’t mean you have failed.  It just means that you are human.  Failure only comes to those that give up.  Those that succeed in breaking bad habits and addictions are the ones that are patient and forgiving with themselves.  They learn from their mistakes and move on.

5.  Seek help and don’t believe you can change alone.

We need encouragement and ideas from others to succeed in making drastic changes in our lives.  The support of family, loved ones, and even online friends will help us to stay on track.  It also makes us accountable to someone.  We should share our desire to change with others so we’ll have positive pressure to stay the course.  Ryan found the help he needed on self-improvement websites.  He stated, “Any problem I had someone else had already dealt with.”  This is so true.  We often feel so alone and that our problems are unique.  This is usually not the case at all.  Fortunately, as Ryan discovered, there are a lot of people willing to help.

6.  Experience some success and find renewed hope.

As we begin to change, positive things start happening in our lives.  This gives us a renewed sense of hope.  For Ryan, he quickly saw improvements in his mental faculties when he broke his addiction to drugs and alcohol.  He regained his memory and started applying himself to worthwhile endeavors.  His success has led him to try new things like playing the piano and guitar.  These hobbies have helped him to find new friends to replace the ones he left behind.  It takes time, but by making some good choices, it really is possible to build a whole new life.

7.  Begin helping others get free from bad habits.

Helping others break free will reinforce the new habits you have formed.  It will also give you a sense of purpose.  You will become the one with the experience needed to guide those that need help.  Ryan is telling his story in an effort to give hope to others.  He wants people to know that they don’t have to continue bad habits that are harmful.  They can choose to be free and then help others to do the same.

Bad habits and addictions can be broken.

As Ryan’s story illustrates, it is absolutely possible to be free of the habits and addictions that are holding you back.  Freedom is available to you.  It is a choice you can make.  It is difficult and scary, but it is worth it.  Don’t keep living a life that is less than the best.  Break free of the madness!  Make your decision today to change!

What advice can you offer to those trying to break free from bad habits or addictions?

Photo by notsogoodphotography

More Resources for Creating Positive Change

Forming New Habits – Approach the Goal Gradually
50 Tips From My Year of Change
4 Powerful Tips for Breaking Bad Habits
9 Tips for Restarting a Habit After Falling Off the Wagon