Ever have one of those off weeks were you just want to press fast forward until the weekend is here? I am sure we have all have experienced this feeling before (maybe you experience this more than just once). This past week has been one of those weeks for me – all week long has felt like a blur.

This may have happened to many of us – we have a day where we talk about something that makes us feel down, or maybe it wasn’t one thing it was everything… But we need to remember that we cannot let days or moments like this affect us in the long run. Life is about learning from our experiences and bouncing back better than before. I read a quote earlier this week that really resided with me and reminded me that it is not the situations I’m in that cause me to feel this way – unhappy – but rather my thoughts about the situation.

As I tried to get my week back on the right track, I found an article “5 Helpful Ways to Bounce Back Better” by Chris Butler. His article goes over how “We all stumble, trip, or fall at certain points in life;” some of us may jump right back up and keep going while others may have a harder time getting back into the grove and one’s attitudes and mood may changes because of this. Mr. Butler also touches on the idea that I previously discussed – “How well we learn those lessons determines how well we can bounce back.” In order for us to learn from these lessons, we must have an open and positive mind set, because if we are closed off and focus on the negative of the situation, we will never grasp the lesson and will continue to follow the same pattern.

Butler’s 5 ways to bounce back include

1. “Just say no” to no: Sometimes, you may find yourself in an experience where you just don’t feel right – don’t be afraid to say no
2. Reinforce your desires: If you want what you actually want, instead of what you don’t want, it’s important to call in backup for the battle of your mind. The reinforcement you want can be brought about through positive affirmations.
3. Just say yes to yes: As you reinforce your desires, you’ll find that opportunities for those desires to be attained will come into view – seize these opportunities!
4. Be grateful, not hateful: When the opportunity arises for you to express angst toward someone, or have a negative attitude, it’s time to press the gratitude button.
5. Give yourself room to wiggle: If you don’t reach your desired bounce-back point, that’s ok – nobody’s perfect. Focus on the progress you’ve made, any amount gives us growth.

Remember that with each bump in the road, there is a lesson to be learned! What is that saying, “if life gives you lemons make lemonade?” While it may be completely cliché, it really is true. Life is what you of make it, and if you think negatively about everything your life will surely feel that way!

We all have bad times in our lives, but sometimes talking with someone can make it a little bit clearer and easier to push through it and grow! Give us a call at Life Skills Resource Group Orlando at 407-355-7378 to schedule a free phone consultation with our Orlando Licensed Mental Health Counselors for Individual Counseling in Orlando or with our Orlando Life Coach. If your child or adolescent is struggling with having a positive mindset, our Orlando Child Counselors, Orlando Adolescent Therapists, and Orlando Teen Counselors would gladly help them through this time and to a more positive life!

Not everyday is going to be a bad one. Here is to the hope that we can all learn to think less negatively and learn from our experiences. ~ Sabina