I’m participating in the November NaBloPoMo challenge with BlogHer. Today is the first day and I had a post I was going to do, but then saw that there are daily prompts I can do as well. I hope this challenge will be an opportunity for me to develop my creativity, but if nothing else, it will be a fun (hopefully stress-free) accomplishment. I’m not really in the market for additional stress! Speaking of stress…
Today’s prompt is: When you’re having a bad day with your mental health, what do you do to help yourself?
What a fitting first prompt! I am definitely an advocate for good mental health. I think it’s important to realize that we all have bad days from time to time. So, maybe the secret is making sure to find some balance between the good and bad days.
When I am having a bad day, I take the following 4 steps:
- I try to find a moment to escape and reflect. Time alone can be just what I need to improve my mood if I’m feeling cranky.
- I intentionally look for something beautiful. Hence, the title of my blog: The Midnight Beauty – finding beauty in the most unlikely places. I’ve found that intentionally looking for something that catches my eye or inspires me takes my mind off the stressful event just long enough to allow me some space to show gratitude for all the good in my life.
- I express gratitude. I intentionally list FIVE things I’m thankful for. Some days it’s easy and some days I list basic things like “I am alive to see another day”, “I have a loving home and family”, or “I had a delicious meal”. Finding something to be grateful for generally gives me the mindset that allows me to find MORE things to be grateful for and that leads to better mental health.
- I blow off some steam. My favorite method of doing this is to go for a run or walk or these days… Wog (an odd mixture of walk and jog – This is what a newly postpartum woman does when she’s working her way back to to fitness. no? Just me? ok, I’ll own it. Getting back to fit after being on bedrest for 5 months is a task in itself! But, I digress). Endorphins melt away the stress and honestly they are my favorite form of stress relief, guaranteed to improve my mood. My other ways of blowing off steam include journaling about the inciting event, watching a funny movie, and time with loved ones.
What do YOU do when you are having a bad (mental health) day?
Feel free to share your ideas and tips below – Please subscribe and come back soon for more updates! #BLogHer17 #NaBloPoMo
See you tomorrow,
The Midnight Beauty
The Midnight Beauty 
Great post! My favorite think to do is to go walking when I am having a bad day and want to help myself. I love walking outside in fresh air. Walking helps to clarify things for me! It allows introspection and true objectivity about whatever issue that might be causing angst!
Typo! It should read: favorite “thing” to do! I typed think instead. But maybe that was a Freudian slip! I do like to think about what is causing the issue!
I think this is very helpful for people like myself who didn’t always have a true planned “escape route” if my day seems to go awry. A great stress reliever for me is prayer. Not just prayer but truly believing what I’m praying about give me relief and great confidence in overcoming whatever challenge I have at the moment. I first should probably recognize when I am frustrated or having a bad day in the first place. It seems so easy to put things under the rug or not be introspective enough to analyze why I feel the way I do. I imagine that in a world where people get made fun of for expressing themselve that I am not
The only person who does this. Great post!
Great Post!!!!!! Taking a walk, praying and also writing for me helps as well. I’m sorry it’s late so I can’t go in full depth but you pretty much nailed it!