No matter how hard we try to fight it, we all experience bad days and negative states at some point in our lives. Be it daily, weekly, or maybe even just once in a blue moon…we’re all pretty much guaranteed to face some form of negativity that no amount of “prep work” can prevent.

Even though it doesn’t ever feel like it, we all know bad days are never permanent. Time proves that to us over and over… but dwelling in negativity only ensures that they will last longer than needed. While we can’t always control the circumstances that cause these negative states, we can control how we react to them … and sometimes, the best reaction is to just plow through it and keep moving forward.

If you have a bad day in baseball, and start thinking about it, you will have 10 more. – Sammy Sosa

Next time you catch yourself in an overwhelming funk, try some of these tips and tricks to help break out of it:

Distract yourself. Watch a movie, attack a challenging project, or read a suspenseful book. For an instant boost, do something quick and simple. Burpess, pushups, you name it… the options really are endless. The key is to do something that is so mentally challenging; you don’t have time to think of anything else but the task at hand.

Watch a movie, attack a challenging project, or read a suspenseful book. For an instant boost, do something quick and simple. Burpess, pushups, you name it… the options really are endless. The key is to do something that is so mentally challenging; you don’t have time to think of anything else but the task at hand. Get outside. Go to the beach, visit a nearby park, stroll up and down your street … anything that gets you outside. Fresh air and sunshine have both proven to be natural mood boosters that aid in lowering stress and anxiety.

Go to the beach, visit a nearby park, stroll up and down your street … anything that gets you outside. Fresh air and sunshine have both proven to be natural mood boosters that aid in lowering stress and anxiety. Treat yourself. Cook yourself a good meal, take a bubble bath, paint your nails…Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming, but with all the day-to-day demands we face, it’s easy to forget that taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of others.

Cook yourself a good meal, take a bubble bath, paint your nails…Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming, but with all the day-to-day demands we face, it’s easy to forget that taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of others. Write it out. Grab your journal, or a scrap piece of paper, and let loose. Putting thoughts on paper not only allows us to vent in a safe place, without judgment… but it also helps to bring clarity and self-awareness to issues we might not have realized otherwise.

Grab your journal, or a scrap piece of paper, and let loose. Putting thoughts on paper not only allows us to vent in a safe place, without judgment… but it also helps to bring clarity and self-awareness to issues we might not have realized otherwise. Disconnect from technology. Turn off your phone, log out of your social media accounts, and step away from the computer. Flooding ourselves on a daily basis with (unnecessary) information can be overwhelming and discouraging, especially on bad days. Unplugging forces us into the present moment, while also removing feelings of jealously and loneliness that often come from constantly comparing ourselves to what we see online.

Turn off your phone, log out of your social media accounts, and step away from the computer. Flooding ourselves on a daily basis with (unnecessary) information can be overwhelming and discouraging, especially on bad days. Unplugging forces us into the present moment, while also removing feelings of jealously and loneliness that often come from constantly comparing ourselves to what we see online. Do something nice for someone else . Give someone a compliment, send a kind email or text to someone you think might need to hear it, bake a treat for a friend, volunteer for a cause… Helping others not only spreads positivity and goodwill, but it can also shift our focus towards a place of gratitude.

. Give someone a compliment, send a kind email or text to someone you think might need to hear it, bake a treat for a friend, volunteer for a cause… Helping others not only spreads positivity and goodwill, but it can also shift our focus towards a place of gratitude. Meditate. For five minutes, an hour, or even just a minute… Meditation reminds us to stay mindful and to live in the present. When our minds are clouded with negativity and chaos, sometimes all it takes is a moment of clarity to get back on track.

These methods won’t work for everyone and are definitely not a guarantee for making bad days go away. The lesson here is that you are in control. We don’t have to be swept away by negative thoughts. We can choose an alternative path and fight back.

If nothing else, remember that bad days and negative states can also serve a purpose. Without them, we’d never know, or truly appreciate, our good days.