So you had a bad day

Daniel Powter, a musician from British Columbia, released the song Bad Day in 2005. I wonder if inspiration for Powter’s lyrics began in elementary school when bullies regularly beat him up because he carried a violin home from school. Regardless, the story feels familiar, and unlike the charming music video linked above, there is seldom a hero popping into our lives with a red umbrella when we need it the most.

Bad days, bad relationships, bad jobs, bad choices, bad moods…they happen. To deny their existence and pretend to live in a world that is perennially positive isn’t realistic. I want to be somewhere in the peaceful center between being in A GREAT MOOD (picture motivational speakers on steroids with wireless mic headsets) and feeling morose and dejected. Without having experienced a sense of dejection, you don’t know where to find the middle ground..the sense of equilibrium where we can truly practice peace and make sound choices.
The thing that we fail to remember about the remarkable nature of being human is that we get to choose where we reside on the mood continuum. I realize for some, particularly those who struggle with mental illness, the road back to a pleasant mood can be a steep and slippery slope. So it seems even more important that those of us with the capacity to manage our emotions celebrate the ability and get it done.

Too often, we rely on external factors to reframe our perspective…when we’re feeling void of talent or uncertain, it just takes a little praise from someone we admire and, voilà, we’re back on happy street—WHY? Chances are, no one who pays you a compliment is telling you something you don’t already know. And it just may be that the day you’re down in the dumps, no one gets the memo to come by to be your personal cheermeister.

The key is sufficiency, remember? You’re enough. You can bring yourself back to center. Open your happy box, sit outside, brew some tea, dance to some happy tunes…the important thing to remember is that you have the capacity to feel good so you can do good.

I love this comment Susan Valach of Lewistown, Montana, left on the blog in September…

Every path in life has it’s own sacrifices and hardships. We can’tcontrol what happens so all we can do is live our own lives completely.I think the Buddhists have a lot to teach us about our suffering.Suffering is caused by desire… sometimes that means desiring thingsto be different than they are. Dissatisfaction ceases when we let go ofattachments and wanting things to be different. The best we can do iswater the seeds of happiness. Spiritual growth is about letting go ofsomething. Sometimes we just have to let go and be thankful.Philippians 4:6-8 is always a good reminder for me. Whatever is true,right pure lovely, think on these things.

Think on beautiful things, my friends, and have a good day.

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