Yesterday was one of those days. You know those days. Everything is fine, really, but everyone is grumpy, edgy, irritable. You're not really sure why, but you don't even really care. You just want to get OUT!

Sometimes we all find ourselves having a rough day. Nothing terrible, mind you – you oversleep, the dog throws up on your way out the door, the computer shuts down or the printer doesn't work, there's an accident on the way to work, the fuel light comes on – just one hassle after another. It's really easy to get sucked into the gloom and doom perspective, to declare, “I'm having a bad day.” What does that do? It makes it worse!

A parent called me right after an ‘episode' like that, and we laughed about it because we both understood. I think he was actually relieved to hear that such outbursts do happen in my home.

Everyone Has Those Days

Sometimes people assume that everything is always hunky-dory in my house because I coach parents. They figure that there must be rainbows in the corners, and unicorns in the family room waiting to give the kids a ride. Right? NOT!

The truth is, I'm human, and so is my family. And we have bad days just like everyone else.

Don't get me wrong. Our life is a WHOLE LOT BETTER than it was before we really learned about managing our 'issues,' and before I discovered coaching. We communicate better, we have more compassion for each other, and we are pretty good at setting up systems (even though we might be challenged at using them).

But we still have ADHD. And anxiety. And depression. And a few other choice challenges to wrestle to the ground.

And we still have those days.

Coping with Those Days

So how do you keep an irritating day from becoming a bad one? Reset! What will help you reset your day? Can you take a walk? Maybe a shower? Meditate, or call a good friend? Read the comics? It'll be different for each of us, but the message is the same. Even people need to re-boot sometimes!

A New Day Makes All the Difference

Today is a new day, and it's sunny and bright. Everyone seems much happier, and the storm cloud seems to have passed. So, what's different?

Truthfully, what's different is that it's a new day, and we are open to the possibility that it can be better.

People with complex issues have a hard time adjusting in situations, which can lead to crazy moods and inconsistent performance. Some days we're ON, and some days we're NOT. Frankly, even in a single day, some times we're ON, and other times we're NOT. We can't always plan it – it just happens.

So how do we handle it when we have a difficult time being our best? Sometimes, we try to look at things differently, we use strategies, we change the scenery. And sometimes, we wait until it gets better.

Now, I'm not arguing for giving up or not trying to improve a bad mood or a poor outcome. But I am saying that there is a huge value in believing – knowing – that things will change, and allowing that to happen.

A bad mood is not a permanent condition, and a bad day doesn't last forever. Recognizing that our lows are temporary is actually a major coping strategy that works.