Are you having a bad day?

We all have those from time-to-time. Here are three things you can to do if you’re having a bad day: 

(1) Call a time out and Breathe:

Your autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary actions like heart rate and digestion, is split into two. One part (sympathetic), controls your fight-or-flight response. The other part, (parasympathetic nervous system), controls your rest and relax response. These two parts of your nervous system can’t be turned on at the same time, which means if you work to activate one, the other will be suppressed. Taking deep breaths activates the rest and relax response, which calms your body and decrease how much stress hormone (cortisol) is released.

(2) Get out in nature/ Go for a walk:

Nature is known for having a calming effect and reduce stress or anger. In fact it increased serotonin levels in your brain which boosts your mood. It also influences the activity of other “happy chemicals” such as dopamine and endorphins.

(3) Reflect:

When you have calmed down, actively unpack what has happened. Here are 4 prompts that I personally use. 

• What did I do today that was good? 
• What could I improve on?
• How did I feel overall today and why?
• What can I do to maintain this feeling or change this feeling?  

You can use these prompts or any others, just reflect. Reflecting helps you to grow and develop your understanding more deeply, so that we continue to improve the next time we encounter similar situations. It also solidifies healthy thought patterns and reinforce positive neural architecture. 

A bad day is only 24 hours.  There is always tomorrow.