I’m still learning to actively choose joy on a consistent basis. While I am noticing it more often and in more places than before I decided to take note of things that bring me joy, I still have my crabby moments.
But don’t we all?
I don’t think it’s realistic to think that we could be 100% pleasant and happy 100% of the time. Yes, we are absolutely in control of our emotions and how we choose to express those emotions but there are times when life happens and we lose our cool, or something upsetting happens, and we let it overtake the joy we might otherwise be seeking.
There are all sorts of ways to ignore the joy and have a terrible day if that’s what you would prefer. Sometimes we need to just be frustrated, grumpy, and overall a downer, right? Now, that being said, this is a TONGUE IN CHEEK POST! Enjoy 😉
1. Oversleep
Obviously if you want to have a terrible day you need to start it out on the wrong (right?) foot by ignoring the alarm, or forgetting to set it all together. This will ensure that you feel rushed and behind for the rest of the day.
2. Don’t have a breakfast plan
Some people know exactly what is for breakfast every day because it’s usually the same and others make a plan the night before. Either way, you didn’t do this. No plan or no regular items to be found in the fridge and cupboards. Now you get to scramble to pull something together in time for everyone to make it out the door on time.
3. Skip quiet time
Obviously since you woke up late and spent any time before the kids bombarded the kitchen you completely skipped any moment of quiet time. You mumble a quick prayer that you keep your cool in your frazzled state but it’s interspersed with self talk about what a stupid idea it was to hit snooze that last time and how you have way too much to get done today.
4. Get frustrated over every single thing your spouse or your kids say
“Mom?”
<insert short tempered voice> “WHAT?”
Usually they are just simple questions but you need to feel like you are being asked to define the word “the” to someone that doesn’t speak English. And then after you’ve snapped at them you need to stew over the fact that you snapped over a simple question. Make sure you pile on the self guilt.
5. Forget several things while trying to get out the door
Doesn’t matter if you stay at home, work at home, or work outside the home, chances are that someone in your house will be leaving at some point and need to bring things with them. Make sure things are forgotten. Diapers or wipes in the diaper bag, that report your kid spent three days working on, your husband’s lunch, you know the drill. Make three trips back inside gathering said items or tearing the house apart because you can’t find the item you need.
6. Putz around on social media/internet
I soooo know the lure of social media or browsing random websites and I know what a time waster it can be. So clearly to have a terrible day you need to do this ad nauseum. Instead of tackling your to-do list start looking through your college roommates’ sister’s new boyfriend’s dog pictures. Or drooling over ridiculous desserts on Pinterest that you know you’ll never make but need to have right now. Then get mad that you don’t have the ingredients. Or look over house plans for homes that are so far out of your price range it’s absurd. Then get upset that you don’t have more money because that would clearly solve all your problems. Or get super offended over some silly article or blog post you read that you know is directed right at you. Then lash out at someone because of this offense.
7. Ignore the mounting dishes and laundry
No one else seems to help around the house so why should you? It doesn’t matter if your husband happened to throw the laundry in the machine this morning and your kids actually helped clear the table, it all falls on you and no one appreciates everything you do. So just walk away and see if anyone cares. And even if you did sweep the floor or wash the dishes it’s all just going to need to happen again tomorrow so why bother? If you don’t have underwear tomorrow that will just be the icing on the cake of this terrible day.
8. Let all the little arguments and sibling squabbles fester
If you have more than one kid you know what I’m talking about. Oh sure, they are usually just amazing but they chose today (because they know what a terrible day you are having) to fight over every single little thing. She has a piece of fake food that he wants and he is using one of the many throw pillows that the other kid just NEEDS to have and then that other one wants to watch Mickey but none of the others do. Let all that bickering just pour into your soul and fill it right up. Snap a few times about how they need to get along, there are more pillows, they need to share, and that no one is watching Mickey. Then pile on more mommy guilt inside your head for good measure.
9. Look at the clock and realize you have done nothing to get dinner ready.
The kids are getting impatient because dinner time is looming and you have nothing. You didn’t pull the chicken out of the freezer because you woke up late and spent too much time searching for that one missing shoe. Now you’ve got about ten, maybe twenty minutes before the troops go full on rampage over food.
You contemplate ordering pizza but know you probably shouldn’t spend the money so instead you stand at the fridge with the door open trying to decide. You manage to pull together a couple random things into a something that might resemble a meal and serve it to the kids who are obviously going to think you are trying to poison them.
10. Be annoyed by the bedtime shennanigans
I’m pretty sure every kid putzes around at bedtime, no matter how incredibly well behaved they are the rest of the day. So now is your chance to be incredibly annoyed at them taking twenty seconds longer than you deem correct to put on their pajamas. And when they leave their dirty clothes on the floor for the THREE HUNDREDTH TIME this week. And don’t even get you started on the way they spit their toothpaste! THE HORROR!
Read them a bedtime story in exasperation after all their tomfoolery. Roll your eyes in annoyance if they even think of asking a question about the story. I mean really, how dare they!
11. Plop down on the couch
Continue to ignore that growing mound of dishes that you still haven’t tended to from earlier today. It will still be there in the morning and you deserve a break after such a terrible day! Park yourself on the couch and reward yourself for making it through such a rough time with double stuff oreos, a big glass of milk, and several handfuls of m&ms. Maybe even make yourself a mug cake or an ice cream sundae. After all, you deserve it and you didn’t get your workout in anyway so it’s not like your ruining all that hard work.
Again, this was a tongue in cheek post. Mostly. I know I’m guilty of many of these, if not all of them on one day or another. I don’t think I’ve ever had a day *this* bad but I know there are times when I let my day snowball from one bad decision and soon enough I’ve let the whole day be a lost cause. Not fun.
Make a choice, pick your attitude, and find the joy.
Are you guilty of any of these “terrible day” choices? Are there any “bad day makers” that you would add?
What are ways you fight off having a bad day?
