Rough Day? How to Handle It (Without Making it Worse)

Ever notice how almost every conversation starts with the same question?
“How are you?”

You’ve probably said it a hundred times this week—to the cashier at the grocery store, someone at church, or a friend at the gym.

And what’s the usual response? “Good.” “Fine.” Maybe even “Great.”

It’s almost automatic, right?
But here’s the real question:

👉 When was the last time you asked yourself “How am I doing?”—and actually paused to listen?

This isn’t about pretending to be positive or forcing gratitude. It’s about honesty and awareness. Because you can’t take care of yourself if you don’t first know where you are.

🌿The Self-Check-In

Right now, rate your day on a scale from 1 to 10—where 1 means it’s rough and 10 means you’re peaceful, grounded, and maybe even joyful.

There’s no wrong number. The point isn’t judgment—it’s awareness.

Once you have your number, ask yourself:

“What would it take for me to move up just a few points?”

That single question puts you back in the driver’s seat of your emotional life.
Your feelings aren’t who you are—they’re just information, little signals saying, “Hey, you have a need worth paying attention to.” 💛

Without this kind of awareness, we often reach for things that feel comforting but don’t actually help—another handful of candy, one more hour of scrolling, a “quick” show that turns into three episodes.

Awareness opens the door to choice. And choice is where your power lives.

☀️ A Personal Example

Last Wednesday was one of those perfect #10 days. I was in the zone—creative, productive, full of energy. You know those days when time just flies because you’re doing what you love?

I went to bed hoping Thursday would feel the same.

But the next morning? Total opposite. I felt flat. Unmotivated. “Meh.”
I was tempted to take the day off—curl up with kettle corn and Diet Coke, and call it “self-care.”

And honestly, it sounded amazing.
But something in me paused. (We’ll come back to that in a minute.)

💫 Why This Matters

So why bother checking in at all? Why not just let a good day be good and a bad day be bad?

Because when you pause to ask how you’re really doing, you remind your brain that you are in charge of how you respond.

Naming where you are emotionally is one of the quiet superpowers of self-confidence.

If you don’t know how you’re doing, you can’t meet your own needs.
And here’s the truth: your needs are your responsibility.

If you’re waiting for someone else—or a “better day”—to make you feel happy or peaceful, you’ll spend a lot of time waiting.

Some days you’ll be an 8, hopeful and in flow.
Other days, a 3, tired or lonely. That’s just being human.

But once you tell the truth about your number, you move from passenger seat to driver’s seat. You can decide what kind of care you need to move up that scale.

💖False vs. True Pleasure

Here’s where most of us get stuck.
When we feel low, we reach for something to make it better—but not everything that feels good helps us.

I call these quick fixes false pleasures.
They feel great in the moment but leave you worse off later:
🍨 the pint of ice cream,
📱 the endless scroll,
📺 the two-hour binge session.

No judgment—we’ve all been there.
But those things only comfort you for as long as they last.

True pleasures, on the other hand, still feel good—but they leave you better afterward. They nourish instead of numb.

Think about:
🌤️ stepping outside for fresh air
🎶 listening to your favorite playlist
✍️ journaling your thoughts
🙏 praying
☕ sitting quietly with a warm drink
💬 calling a trusted friend

Yes, they take more effort—but they also last longer.
They’re you saying, “I care about how I feel and who I’m becoming.”

🌱Building Long-Term Well-Being

Once you start choosing those true pleasures, something shifts.
You build momentum—and you’ll soon be ready for the next layer of care: long-term well-being.

These are things that take a little more energy upfront but build peace and confidence over time:
📖 spending time with God in scripture or prayer
🧩 learning or creating something new
🤝 serving someone else
🏡 tidying your space
🌟 taking one step toward a dream

They’re not flashy. But they grow self-respect—and that’s the deepest kind of self-care there is.

✍️Your Turn—A Quick Exercise

Let’s plan ahead for those “3 days.”
Grab your journal or phone and title a page “My True Pleasures.”

Now number it 1–25 and fill it with ideas—small, simple things that lift you up without the downside.
Keep the list somewhere you’ll see it.

Next time your day feels off, instead of defaulting to a quick fix, grab your list and choose one thing.
Each time you do, you’re teaching your brain: I can take care of me.

🌤️The Lesson From My Thursday

Remember that Thursday—the one I almost gave to kettle corn and TV?
I caught myself and thought, What if I just give myself 60 minutes of focus first?

So I did. I worked for an hour, took a short break outside, then came back for another round.
Before I knew it, I was back in the zone. No popcorn required.

My confidence didn’t grow because the day was perfect—it grew because I showed up for me.
I met my need with wisdom instead of whim.

💛The Takeaway

Here’s what I hope you remember:
Every time you check in with yourself, tell the truth, and respond with care that moves you forward, you build trust with yourself.

You stop living at the mercy of your moods and start leading your life with compassion and clarity.

So today, pause and ask, “How am I doing?”
Give yourself a number.
Then choose one small action that cares for you today and honors the person you’re becoming.

Because you matter.
Your needs matter.
And you already have everything you need to take care of you—wisely, gently, and well. 💛