7 Things You Can Do When It All Goes Wrong

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It has been one of those days; one of those days when it all goes wrong.

  • My alarm didn’t go off.
  • I had a whopping headache first thing in the morning.
  • I tripped on all the phone cords getting out of bed.
  • I realized the toilet paper was out…too late.
  • My coffee spilled on the day I decided to wear a white shirt.
  • In the car pressed for time to get to work, I realized I had no gas.
  • I forgot my headphones for the gym.
  • The handles of my grocery bag broke on the way to my door.

The sequence of unfortunate events had me at my wits end. At this point, I was waiting for that one final completely ridiculous unimportant thing that would throw me into tears.

Then, I ended that previously underwhelming, below average day learning that I, in fact have a brain tumor.

The latter news, in a strange sense, left me unnervingly calm. I was silent. I hung up the phone and sat on the floor. I am unsure if there is a manual on how to react to this kind of news. I wished there was. Primarily because, as a young, seemingly indestructible college-aged woman, I thought something such as this would never happen. I felt betrayed by the inner workings of my body; the body I have treated as a temple. It could never happen to me, the girl who breathes with a passion for health.

But it did.

When it all goes wrong. Then what?

When you’re having one of those days:

1. Curse.

A lot. Let it out. Use f*ck in every f*cking sentence because that’s how you f*cking feel right now. We all get it. It helps.

2. Now take a breath.

Stop running errands, because at this point, any little thing that happens is going to bother you. Even if it’s just the nice old lady taking too long at the register or you entering your pin number incorrectly, you’re going to lose your sh*t.

3. Clear your space of things that may break.

Otherwise, you will probably drop or smash them because it’s just one of those days.

4. Sweat a little.

Make a dinner, create art, or whatever will make you content for the time being.

5. Take a shower.

Steam the stress away while horribly belting out a pop song that you totally know all the words to but will never admit it.

6. Tell someone you love them.

Saying I love you and knowing that it is mutual is comforting when everything else feels doomed. It will give you hope.

7. Recognize that a bad day does not mean a bad life.

Eventually, you will put the pieces back where they are meant to be and you will feel yourself grow in the places you thought the sun would never shine again.

I had been sitting on the floor for quite some time now. There was no manual on how to react. I took a breath and stood up. I changed my coffee stained white shirt and called it step one.