10 Ways to Forget the Day ...

Photo Credit: Sara Tully

This is my favorite way to relax. Whether it’s a new book or an old favorite, if you can allow yourself to enter another world, it will make all the stress in yours melt away. Protip: when you have a bad or long or stressful day, try reading something lighthearted. A little laughter will help you forget all the bad stuff.

Photo Credit: just.K

A hot, steamy bath is like a tub full of bliss. Taking time for yourself however you can is always a good idea after a bad day, and taking that time in a frothy bubble bath is one of the best ways to do that. Protip: my favorite is actually reading in the bathtub. This can, however, cause bubble baths to stretch on for a very long time.

Photo Credit: Netfalls

When I have bad days, when I’m sad, down, or just suffering from a general kind of malaise, listening to music that fits my mood ultimately elevates my mood as well. By listening to your favorite songs and bands for any given indication, you not only give your mind something else on which to focus, you give yourself some time and space as well.

Needless to say, this really only applies to people who like to cook. Again, when you cook at the end of a bad day — for fun, if it’s a preferred hobby — you focus on something else, plus you have a great reward at the end. Also, you can eat it. I especially enjoy baking, perhaps because I can take my aggression out on batter or egg whites.

Photo Credit: MarcelGermain

Hey, don’t kill the messenger. Chocolate helps me forget the day, anyway. It is totally a scientific fact! Ahh, those sweet, chocolaty endorphins. Use sparingly — except in dire emergencies and on really awful days.

All right, I admit it. I watch trashy reality TV. I watch a lot of it. I have been known to convert the non-believers. I believe in the curative powers of a really trashy train wreck. For example, after a long weekend of going to bed very late, getting up very early, packing very quickly, and traveling from Boston to upstate New York, this episode of Bridezillas I’m watching is making all my cares melt away because, well … things could always be a whole lot worse.

A tongue bath from your dog, a purr fest with your cat, a liberal dousing of pellets and love from a rabbit: some serious pet affection can make even the worst day fade away fast. A few wriggles, licks, and grumbles from my dog, and I melt on the inside. This is also the best way to wake up in the morning.

A walk works just as well, or a bike ride. You could also go jogging or rollerblading. The point is, being active, getting exercise, and giving yourself time to think makes a big difference. Plus, there’s nothing like a walk at dusk.

Yoga is a great way to relieve stress and tension, but if that’s not your bag, any kind of meditation will work. You might just sit in silence, as long as you are giving yourself time to focus. This is a great way to put troubling thoughts and issues into their proper perspective as well.

Spending time with someone you love and trust, someone who knows you better than anyone and can make you laugh, is the best way to forget a bad day — or, better yet, to turn it into a great day. Your parent, a sibling, a best friend, or your lover: quality time spent with someone you care about will make all your cares melt away.

These are the things that make me forget a bad day — and sometimes I do have to do several items on the list. What are some of the things that make you forget an awful day?

Top Photo Credit: BrittneyBush