24 Hours in a Day and Only One to Be Upset

Let’s get real for a moment guys, let’s bring it down a notch…There are some sucky things out there that have the potential to ruin your day. Maybe you spill mustard all over your favorite white blouse (and know it’s going to stain). Maybe you get a bad grade on that big assignment you were worried about. Maybe people in your group project or at work are lazy bums who never do anything but take all the credit. OR MAYBE you go out of your way to do something nice for someone else (i.e. wait extra long to hold the door open) and they don’t even say thank you! (Talk about my pet peeve!!). Let me tell ya’, I have had some frustrating moments these past two days. BUT that’s all they should’ve been—just moments. Far too often I let one little annoying thing ruin my whole day and you know what? I’m done with it! It’s just plain wasteful.

I don’t try to hide the fact that I used to be a very negative person (“Turn that frown upside down!”). Sometimes I still am pessimistic, but I’ve been trying really hard to change that about myself. After all, where’s the fun in being a Debbie Downer? I know first-hand that nobody wants to hang out with someone like that, and furthermore, it just doesn’t feel good. Being negative is like carrying around an invisible backpack of bricks—it’s HEAVY! If you ever wondered why Eeyore from “Winnie the Pooh” had such bad posture…well, now you know. He *be rocking* that invisible backpack.

Obviously, when something ticks you off, it can be really difficult to let it roll off your shoulders. I know for me, I like to let that irritation fester and sometimes even try to stay upset the whole day—I guess I’m just stubborn like that. But I’ve been asking myself lately, “Why do I do that?” (It’s like P!nk’s song “Raise Your Glass”…Why do we do that, why do I do that? *whispers* Why do I do that? Yah, you cool kids know what song I’m talking about.) But seriously, it is such a waste of the day to stay upset over one little thing. I’m going to unabashedly throw a huge cliché at you now, but life is just too short to spend agitated on something that doesn’t really matter.

You have 24 hours in a day. (Admittedly, hopefully at least 8 of those are for sleeping.) BUT that means you better work your ass off to make the rest of those hours count. I don’t care how cliché and unrealistic it is. Even though you can’t be happy and “living the dream” every single minute of every day, you sure as heck can reduce the amount of time you spend being a salty crank that nobody wants to be around.

So here’s what I suggest to you: a few minutes after the initial agitating event—that face-turns-red-and-steam-is-billowing-out-of-your-ears moment—set a timer. That’s right; pull out your phone and set a timer for one hour. That will be your upset time. For sixty minutes, you can be as grumpy, agitated, mopey, or quiet as you want. Let all that frustration fester, and furrow your eyebrows. Maybe even roll your eyes a bit (my third grade teacher hated when I did that…). Scream if necessary. But at the end of your 60 minutes? Times up! There are 24 hours in a day, and you only get one to be upset. Take a deep breath—heeee, hooo—and move on with your day.

I know I know, easier said than done. A few things that help me release all that pent-up frustration is by considering the long-term implications of whatever happened. Am I going to remember that mean comment my classmate said in five years? Probably not. I most-likely won’t even remember it in five weeks. So why should I bother giving it the time of day?

I also often like to spend my hour of “upset time” working out. Once I start sweating and focusing on the burn in my thighs rather than the burn in my mind, I tend to forget my frustrations and let the endorphins take over.

Lastly, I recommend finding your own personal “mood lifter.” Maybe it’s a song that always puts a smile on your face, a piece of writing that inspires you, an activity like running, or even a funny YouTube video (may I introduce you to Marcel the Shell? You need him in your life). Finding that one thing to always lift your spirits, without fail, will have a huge impact on not only your day-to-day life, but also your overall happiness.

I was in a bad mood when taking these photos. But somehow, a hot pink blazer and posing like a flamingo managed to turn my frown upside down. Now how will you change yours?

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Thanks so much for reading today’s post! I hope you loved it and, more importantly, loved this outfit. I think this may be one of my favorites, and the blazer is giving off allll the Elle Woods vibes.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Miles of smiles,

Grace

Striped Flamingo Tee: JCrew Factory, $25 // Pink Blazer: JCPenney, $35 // Skinny Jeans: Francesca’s, $24 // White Studded Mules: Rebecca Minkoff via Saks Off Fifth, $70 // Black Purse: hand-me-down // Black Sunglasses: Charming Charlie, $7