What To Do On A Terrible Day.

When you're having a very tough day or facing difficult emotions, one of the core principles of mindfulness is allowing yourself to just be with those feelings, rather than pushing them away or trying to fix them.

On a truly bad day when everything is wrong there's nothing you an do anyway. It just has to pass…Which it will.

But until it does and there is nothing you can do, you just to have to tough it out. Like a big storm, there is nothing you can do to stop it, so you just have to wait.

If you are able at the time the pain is happening, here are a few things you can do.

Just Be with the Feeling

Often, when we experience hard emotions like sadness, anger, or frustration, our instinct is to resist or avoid them.

We might distract ourselves, suppress the feeling, or try to change it. However, this can sometimes intensify the emotion or prolong our suffering because we’re not fully processing it.

Mindfulness encourages us to acknowledge and accept the feeling as it is, without labeling it as "bad" or "wrong."

When we give ourselves permission to simply sit with an emotion, we create space for it to naturally pass, like a wave that rises and eventually recedes.

How to Sit with a Difficult Emotion

• Notice the Emotion Without Judgment

  • Begin by acknowledging how you're feeling without trying to label the emotion as "good" or "bad." It's okay to feel whatever you're feeling. It could be sadness, frustration, anxiety, depression, or something else entirely.

• Observe Where It Shows Up in Your Body

  • Emotions are often experienced physically. Ask yourself, "Where do I feel this in my body?" You might notice tension in your shoulders, tightness in your chest, or a knot in your stomach. Focus on these sensations without trying to change them

• Breathe into the Emotion

  • Breathing mindfully can help you stay present with the feeling. Take slow, deep breaths, and as you breathe in, imagine sending your breath into the area of your body where you're holding tension.

• Allow the Emotion to Be

  • Instead of trying to push the emotion away, allow it to be there. Remind yourself that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable for a while. Emotions are like waves—they rise, peak, and eventually fall.

• Avoid the Urge to React

  • Often, when we feel negative emotions, we want to immediately react—by lashing out, shutting down, or doing something to escape the feeling.

    In mindfulness, the practice is to notice this urge without acting on it. You can simply observe: "I feel the need to do something, but I don't have to right now."

Emotions Are Temporary

One of the most powerful aspects of mindfulness is the recognition that all emotions, even the toughest ones, are temporary.

When you sit with an emotion, you realize that it eventually softens and fades, often more quickly than if you had tried to resist or control it.

It's like sitting by a river and watching leaves float by—you don’t have to jump in and chase them, just let them drift.

Wrap Up

By allowing yourself to feel and sit with an emotion, you're processing it in a healthy way. You may find that over time, the emotion becomes less intense and loses its hold on you.

This practice helps build emotional resilience and teaches you that you can handle even the most difficult feelings without being overwhelmed by them.

Best Wishes,

David Starikov