Attic Fables

In today’s episode, I want to talk about what to do when you’re having a bad day.

We’ve all had days when it seems nothing is going right. You open the refrigerator, and there’s no milk for breakfast. On your way to work, you get stuck in a traffic jam. Then, to make matters worse, you get a flat tire. When you finally arrive at work, your co-worker is out sick, and you have to do their work in addition to your own. Now that’s what I call having a bad day.

It’s natural to feel frustrated and angry when things don’t seem to be going right. But cursing the traffic or kicking the flat tire won’t solve anything.

So, what should you do when you’re having a bad day? Let me suggest four steps to take to overcome frustration.

The first step is to decide not to allow bad circumstances to cause you to respond negatively. You are in control of your emotions. You have a choice. You can either choose to be negative or you can choose to be positive. The first step in overcoming frustration is to choose to have a positive attitude.

In his song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy, Bobby McFerrin suggests we shake off the bad vibes by being happy.

The idea of overcoming frustration by being happy didn’t start with Bobby McFerrin. His song is actually a reflection of a well-known biblical principle. The Bible says, “Don’t be sad, the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).”

The second step to overcome frustration is to put the situation in the proper perspective. It’s okay to get frustrated when we get a flat tire or something else goes wrong, but we shouldn’t stay that way. Don’t let something like a flat tire ruin your whole day. Cardiologist Robert Eliot said, “Rule No. 1, don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule No. 2: It’s all small stuff.” Try to look at the problem with the right perspective.

Now obviously, there are real tragedies. I’m not trying to trivialize the many horrible things that happen in life, but when it’s simply a minor inconvenience, we need to be able to handle it without getting out of sorts. We can do this by having the right perspective.

When something unexpected comes along and throws a wrench in the gears, we need to put the inconvenience in perspective. You head for the park for a picnic, and it pours rain. You arrive at the airport to find your flight has been canceled. You’re hit by a bad cold and can’t make it to a family get-together. Remind yourself: It’s all small stuff. Nothing to get upset about.

After choosing to face your frustrations with positivity and viewing the situation with the right perspective, the third step is to accept the situation. Accept what’s happened for what it is and believe that God will help you deal with it.

The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said: “Let reality be reality, let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” Being able to accept things just as they are helps us to go with the flow.

I think the psalmist said it best: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).”

According to Murphy’s Law, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Life is going to throw one flat tire after another at you. That’s the way life is, so don’t fight an uphill battle. Go with it. Learn to roll with the punches. And remember, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

The fourth step in overcoming frustration is to give it to God. The Bible says: “Cast all your cares upon God, because God cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).”

Just knowing that God cares can make a huge difference in your life. You are not alone. You don’t have to face life’s struggles by yourself. When you’re feeling stressed out and everything seems to be going wrong, give it to God and believe that he will help you. God will give you the strength and the patience to work through the frustration and find a place of peace and joy.

To summarize, when you face a problem, choose to face the problem with positivity, keep everything in perspective, accept the situation as part of life, and lastly, give the problem to God and leave it with him.