You spill your coffee on your keyboard, burn your last piece of toast, break a shoelace, you're running late, discover frozen car door locks and get stuck behind a garbage truck on a one way street with a dozen cars behind you. You haven't even started work yet, but when you arrive, nothing there seems to be going your way, either.
Every one of us has had a bad day at some point and brought the associated attitude with us into work. It's hard to shake those negative feelings after half a dozen things go wrong before you even start working and when you add to that all of the other 'bad' things in our lives, it's easier to stay angry than it is to fake ourselves happy. But, what if there were a way that we could genuinely lift our spirits and not have to feel like we'd be feigning happiness by putting on a fake smile just for the benefit of everybody around us? Well, there is a way! In fact, there is more than one.
At some point, it can seem comedic that so many bad things happen to us in a row and it's easy to feel like a walking target for the day. But, when many things go wrong at the same time, it's worth tackling them head-on rather than let them get to us until desensitization sets in and we simply feel numb and just want to go home. People react to the way we look and feel on a daily basis through facial expressions and body gestures alone no matter what mood we're in (we don't even have to say anything). So, if people are going to react to our expressions anyway, why not give them some positive energy amidst the darkness of our 'bad days'.
Attitude Changers to Keep You Laughing on the Inside
The "Bring it on!" attitude - when things go from bad to worse, frustration will only result in a downward spiral and eventual crash. If things are going to go bad anyway, what's the point of getting upset about it? Save time and energy by starting corrective action right away and think of yourself as a pro wrestler who is up against someone bigger and losing to them is not an option (pretend you have big muscles).
The walking sitcom attitude - lighten up during a bad day and pretend you are the star of your own sitcom. You might feel like Bob Newhart or Jennifer Aniston when people think you're the nut or things just fall apart around you. Create your own character and laugh about your bad day when things pile up around you, because...what the heck!
The rubber chicken attitude - pretend you have a rubber chicken in your pocket when things go wrong. This will force you to laugh and be able to handle the situation better as it offers a little grace under pressure. Go ahead, try to even say rubber chicken five times without laughing.
The rubber chicken attitude - pretend you have a rubber chicken in your pocket when things go wrong. This will force you to laugh and be able to handle the situation better as it offers a little grace under pressure. Go ahead, try to even say rubber chicken five times without laughing.
The cartoon character attitude - every cartoon series has a sad, pathetic character that we take pity on, from Sad Sack to Bad Luck Schleprock. Adopting this attitude will let nothing phase you because you'll just accept the circumstances and work your way through them without blowing up. Be sure to have fun with it, though!
