When You're Having One of Those Days

I'm not having one, in case you were wondering, though I have been struggling with this rather much lately.  One of those days where you just can't drag yourself through the muck in any semblance of order, sanity, or intellectual clarity. A friend of mine is having one. And what I say is, just go with the flow. Have that day, and don't try to push it aside. Get yourself through the day however you need to, and that way the day can be satisfied. If you push it away and tell yourself it isn't important, it'll come back on you. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe later today. It wants its day, and it's going to get its day. The easier you make it for the day, the faster you can move on towards the next day.

If this means shutting yourself away and eating cookies, then do so so. (This is not a bad idea actually. I have some cookies on my desk . . . )

If this means cuddling with your dog and taking said dog to the park, then do so.

If it means going on a shooting spree, you need medical attention, and quickly. Call 911. They'll know what to do.

If you need to be sad, let yourself be sad. For a few minutes, anyway. Let yourself be sad knowing that you're not going to let yourself be sad for a long period of time, just a little while. (The time period invoked by "little while" varies from person to person and can't be defined any better than that.)

Seek out sun, if at all possible. In mid-February this may seem amusing more than useful, but we do what we can. I know people who've had tremendous success with light boxes.

Not me. I'm more of a vampire. "Close the blinds!" I screech, "The sun's coming in!" As if I'm going to start smoking (my body, not me) and then go up in flames.

I am, as you can see, a vampire of the old school variety, not the new.

But even for me, being out in the sun, when I do go out, forces my body into a lighter place. Too much sun, and I'm back to, "Aaaahhhhh! The sun! Get me out of here!" But some sun is good.

Don't forget the sun screen.

Exercise, if you can. This may sound odd coming from me, since I've managed to convince people that I'm part sloth. But even I enjoy a healthy dose of exercise from time to time. It makes my body think of other things, for one, such as, "What the hell are you trying to do? Kill me?" (After a good workout my knees, in particular, are quite put out for days.)

Go to a movie in a darkened theater where you don't have to interact with anyone. Interacting with people can be very hard work, after all, and you don't want to exert yourself.

Make plans to interact with people later, assuming you like this sort of thing, so you have something to look forward to. (I like this sort of thing when I'm not sulking, but most of my people are too far away to interact
with, so that makes me sulkier.)

Which is not to say that my sulking is anything like anyone else's inability to deal with the day. In my case it just happens to be me sulking because I know what the problem is and refuse to do anything about it. This, then is
sulking.

Weird word, sulking.

I feel I should offer a disclaimer. "Should you feel sad for an excessively long time and hopeless on top of it, seek medical attention. Should you feel fidgety and are considering harming yourself, seek medical attention
immediately."

But if you're just unable to deal with the day, call me. Or someone you actually know, because you might not want to talk to a stranger. I'm just saying. Have a cookie. Burrow, if you want to. Indulge your day. You are more important than the things you were meant to do today.