Bad days - what do you turn to?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: ottawa
Posts: 66
Bad days - what do you turn to?
Things have been a little rough this week family-wise, and I found out today my serving job let me go....I had a curling mishap and injured my face, so I needed a week to heal... manager tells me they needed somebody ready for last week (I was in training) so they no longer have need of me... pretty bummed. Usually, I'd come home and have one....or four...glasses of wine... but instead I poured some 7Up, made a nice snack and focusing on some other work I have to do....
When you have bad days, what gets you out of them? A good book? A friend?
When you have bad days, what gets you out of them? A good book? A friend?
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,355
This community is pretty amazing when it comes to comfort and a kind ear soulpower 
I'm sorry for your day but the great thing is we only have bad days now, not bad weeks, months, years or decades
D
I'm sorry for your day but the great thing is we only have bad days now, not bad weeks, months, years or decades
D
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, USA
Posts: 2,229
Great job on hitting the 7up bottle today Soulpower. I find jogging with some music blaring in my ear buds helps me calm down. Then I finish it off with some time with my kids to put everything in perspective.
Well done and sorry about your job. We are here for you when ever you need!
Well done and sorry about your job. We are here for you when ever you need!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Northeast USA
Posts: 1,021
Mindful meditation is my go-to option these days. However, I've found that being alive means I (and everyone else) will have bad days; accepting this fact keeps me from becoming too concerned when things don't go my way. Moreover, bad days come and they go, they aren't permanent in my life, so I tend to just acknowledge the day isn't going so great and just ride it out.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I just accept that bad days will occur and that most attempts to relieve the discomfort of a bad day really aren't very effective. However, the acceptance of life's many conditions helps to diminish the discomfort because I don't spend a lot of mental and emotional energy attempting to change things or wishing things were different.
BTW, I find that having a bad (or a good) day is really an inside job. Outside influences seem to be the reasons for a good or bad day, but IMO it's how we react to and perceive these outside influences that makes a day a bad day or a good day.
I hope this makes sense
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I just accept that bad days will occur and that most attempts to relieve the discomfort of a bad day really aren't very effective. However, the acceptance of life's many conditions helps to diminish the discomfort because I don't spend a lot of mental and emotional energy attempting to change things or wishing things were different.
BTW, I find that having a bad (or a good) day is really an inside job. Outside influences seem to be the reasons for a good or bad day, but IMO it's how we react to and perceive these outside influences that makes a day a bad day or a good day.
I hope this makes sense
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
im glad to read yer drinking 7up AND looking for solutions on how to get out of the negative thinking.
sometimes, its as simple as turning my attention to something more useful.
sometimes its getting into one of my hobbies.
sometimes its getting some gratitude for what i have AND what i dont- seeing it could be worse.
sometimes its talking to others.
and sometimes-when none of that works and im still not in the best of moods
i accept thats how its going to be for now and trudge.
sometimes, its as simple as turning my attention to something more useful.
sometimes its getting into one of my hobbies.
sometimes its getting some gratitude for what i have AND what i dont- seeing it could be worse.
sometimes its talking to others.
and sometimes-when none of that works and im still not in the best of moods
i accept thats how its going to be for now and trudge.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: America
Posts: 4,136
When I have bad days, I tend to stop and think and meditate and I try to pray to God; fully entering into prayer...find a quiet spot or quiet time...Love getting outside and going for long walks....just being out there under the sky helps me feel connected to that Higher Power....and re-aligns me (if there is such a thing?)...yeah-need to get realigned, I guess you could say. I go to church twice a week and that takes my focus off of me and my troubles and puts my focus on something so much greater-it really helps. It also very much encourages me to stay away from putting things in my body and mind that are not good and serve to create a BARRIER from well-being.
I also find that writing is a great outlet, plus and great way to get feelings out that need to come out. It's just not good to go around all bottled up inside...
Good questions!
I also find that writing is a great outlet, plus and great way to get feelings out that need to come out. It's just not good to go around all bottled up inside...
Good questions!
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: America
Posts: 4,136
Also, if I can just tell myself to not start to freak out of get into a negative mind-set on those not so good days, it gets me through to the better days in a better state of being. Right now, I am so thankful for a workplace that have plenty of positive and supportive energy in it...it really helps me to be around nice, positive people!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 3,062
I'm having one of those days too. So I'm checking in here, I had ice cream for dinner, I rolled around on the floor with my dog, I"m in my comfy flannel jammies, I'm starting a new crochet project for my son with some really soft yarn, and I'm not going to read any self-help stuff tonight but rather look through a few magazines. It's darker earlier so perhaps may try to go to bed earlier. Just because we get sober it doesn't mean the suck days go away....the still show up but I don't chew on them all night and get obliterated. Good solution-focused thread....love it!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
Ipod in and go for a long walk in the fresh air with a few tunes, that's great I find for clearing the head!!
SR is also a great place to take my mind of things in my own life, plenty of support here 24/7!!
SR is also a great place to take my mind of things in my own life, plenty of support here 24/7!!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: ottawa
Posts: 66
I just thought it would be nice to share and read what other people use to calm down and check into a better feeling/place. Thanks for sharing guys :-) I found some great new music, reading a new book, did some "window" shopping on Etsy... much better end to a bad day.
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 6,902
As an AAer, I'd seek out my sponsor or one of my close friends from AA and go for tea and a chat. Prayer, I've learnt over time, really does help to refocus me. And meditation if the noise in my head starts up - all that projection of the future and replaying the past to try to make sense of something that I can't control anyway.
I'd also come on here and see if there is someone else I can help.
Other than that - some rockabilly or ska music while I sort out some comfy clean PJs and put on fresh bed linen and treat myself to an early night with a good book to recharge my batteries and help me be ready to think more clearly about whatever the situation is in the morning.
(I avoid other 'acting out' activities - anything to do with relationships / sex; junk food; or clothes / shoe / trinket shopping. I've learnt that these are similar to alcohol for me in that they are 'quick fix' and me seeking out short-term euphoria, and in the long-term have the potential to make my life unmanageable and are not good for my recovery).
I'd also come on here and see if there is someone else I can help.
Other than that - some rockabilly or ska music while I sort out some comfy clean PJs and put on fresh bed linen and treat myself to an early night with a good book to recharge my batteries and help me be ready to think more clearly about whatever the situation is in the morning.
(I avoid other 'acting out' activities - anything to do with relationships / sex; junk food; or clothes / shoe / trinket shopping. I've learnt that these are similar to alcohol for me in that they are 'quick fix' and me seeking out short-term euphoria, and in the long-term have the potential to make my life unmanageable and are not good for my recovery).
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