On bad days, when the world seems to be plotting against you and you have no idea how you're going to make it through, it's important to remind yourself of the true, good, encouraging things in your life. We can't expect ourselves to be happy and tough all the time, as its important to be honest with ourselves with how we feel when bad times come around. When they do come around, while we may not be able to be happy all the time, we can help ourselves get through our struggles by remembering a few important things.
1. You’re stronger than you think you are.
Our minds have a funny way of tricking us into thinking we’ll never make it out of a situation okay. Our minds are always wrong. We are capable of far more than we give ourselves credit for. You can handle whatever it is you’re going through, as long as you keep reminding yourself that you can. It’s often when we feel weakest that we are about to showcase our deepest strength.
2. There is always something to look forward to.
The last good thing to happen to you will not be the last good thing to ever happen to you. A new day will come, a new opportunity, friend, relationship, house, job, experience will come. Life is constantly moving on, we are constantly growing and our lives are ever changing, which means that sometime, probably very soon, another good thing will be coming your way.
3. You’ve been through hell and back and you’re still surviving. In fact, you’re thriving.
You’ve fought battles no one knows about, you’ve been terrified of your surroundings and you’ve felt incredibly lost, but you are still standing, better than ever. Look at where you were a few months ago. If you’re like me, you hardly recognize that person. Now, look at where you are today. You may still feel like you have a long way to go on your journey, but you are a lot further than you were. You know how much you’ve gotten through, and you haven’t let it consume you. You have risen above your circumstances.
4. Help is always out there.
You never have to face anything on your own. God, friends, family members, colleagues, therapists, teachers, professionals, doctors and other wise people are always available when the load you’re carrying just gets a bit too heavy.
5. You are never truly alone.
I know how it can feel to be all alone at night and not having a clue what you’re doing with yourself. Sometimes, we can feel incredibly alone. During these times, I like to refer to our loving Father’s words, where He tells us that we are never alone, and He will always be with us, no matter what. Some comforting examples: Matthew 28:20, Isaiah 41:10, 1 Peter 5:7, Deuteronomy 31:6, 8, Joshua 1:9.
6. You have a God, family and friends who truly love you, even if they don’t say it as often as you’d hope.
I hope you know how many people truly care about you. Everything that you do affects the people in your life, whether you realize it or not, in some positive way. Your friends see how much you care, your family sees how much you sacrifice, your professors see how much effort you put in, your neighbors see you when you arrive home from work, your classmates see your passion for what you do. They may not remind you as often as they should, but they love you, in the truest sense of the word.
7. Starting a new chapter in your life is as easy as deciding to do it.
So you’re not happy with how your life is going right now? You have two options: do nothing and let it continue the way it is, or do something that will change things. All you have to do is make that choice. Once you make the decision and commit to it, you just have to keep on living according to your new choice. Want to become a morning person? Decide, firmly, that you’re waking up early from now on. Want to become a runner? Firmly decide that you’ll begin training next Monday. Want to switch jobs? Decide to start pursuing other opportunities. Our lives are usually not as complicated as we tend to believe they are.
8. You never know what’s coming your way soon.
In the words of my favorite Disney movie, "Pocahontas," we never know what’s “waiting just around the river bend." Today may have been a horrible day, but tomorrow could be the day you get a letter in the mail that changes the course of your life forever. Or, you discover a new talent next week. Or, you could meet the best friend you’ll ever have in class this semester. You never know what will happen in your life in the coming days.
9. Bad days are just days. They are not the norm.
The fact that you can separate them and label them as “bad” means that you’ve had enough “good” and “average” days to know the difference. This means that not all your days have been bad, so what makes you think that for some strange reason they’ll all be bad forever more? Tomorrow could be the best day of your life. You never know.
10. There is always something new to discover, someone new to meet and somewhere new to go.
We will never, ever, ever be able to do everything that we could possibly do. There’s simply too many amazing things in the world to be experienced! How could we ever feel bored, lost, or unsure with the knowledge that there are more possibilities in the world than we even know of? All we need to do is pursue them.
