We all have bad days. You get stuck in traffic, your kid gets sick, the coffee machine is broken, you forget your keys in your car, work is overwhelming. Some days, it just seems like everything is working against you and you can’t to do anything right.

Usually these bad days aren’t catastrophic, but sometimes on days like these, I just start to feel as though I am the only one who has bad days, and if I were being a “better Christian,” spent more time in the Bible, or prayed more, I would be able to avoid having hard days.

But the truth is, even with the best attitude and a joyful spirit, all of us have bad days occasionally. Having a few bad days is perfectly normal and acceptable, but learning to move past a bad day is what matters.

Here are a few simple steps to help you move past a bad day:

  1. Give yourself grace. You don’t have to be perfect. You can’t be everything to everyone, and that’s okay. Part of maturity is knowing when you have reached your limits. Don’t hold onto your mistakes and try to punish yourself for them. God is a God full of grace towards you, so remember to extend some grace to yourself.
  2. Remember your identity. When things go wrong or you make a mistake, it is easy to think, “Oh I’m just a failure or a terrible person.” Negative self-talk isn’t going to get you anywhere. You aren’t your mistakes—you are a child of God. Your identity doesn’t lie in your performance. You are already perfectly loved, even on your worst days.
  3. Allow yourself to have emotions. Emotions aren’t meant to control us, but we have them for a reason. Getting angry or sad is a normal and healthy part of life. On bad days, don’t try to act like you don’t have emotions. Bring your emotions to the Lord, and let Him guide you.
  4. Learn from your mistakes. While we all have bad days, often we make them worse. Ask yourself questions: “Why did I let this make me upset?”, or “How can I better handle myself next time?” You will be amazed how much insight you can gain about your reactions by simply taking some time to reflect.
  5. Realize it will pass. When you are having a non-stop bad kind of day, realize that your bad day won’t last forever. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV)