All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Positive thinking: 6 ways to improve a bad day
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
There is no such thing as a "bad streak." The reason people coined the term and use it so much is because the brain creates patterns that it then applies to a new situation.
Give up self-fulfilling prophecies
If you believe that the rest of the day will be the same as what has already happened, we guarantee that you will end the day with actions (or words) that will confirm the correctness of your prediction.
Master the sense of time
Think about this picture: if nothing vital (really important!) happens, then in two weeks you will not understand anything about what is making you tense today.
Set a "sensitivity threshold" between the concepts of "good" and "bad"
Define for yourself that a good day is a day when you are alive and moving. And a bad day is when your car is stolen and, after driving around, thrown into the ocean. Such definitions help to be happy, and make a bad mood very difficult to achieve.
Improve your body chemistry
Your body and brain are in a vicious circle: a bad mood increases fatigue, which worsens your mood, and so on. Break the pattern by getting up and walking. You can also eat something nutritious and healthy.
Focus on the positive
The main reason for a bad mood is focusing on what is going wrong. However, in addition to the unsuccessful tasks, there are dozens of others that are going great. Make a list of such tasks (projects) and hang it in a prominent place.
Prepare for a miracle
Just as a bad mood complicates the situation, the expectation of some small miracle will open up the whole world for you with its miracles surrounding you now, here and everywhere around you.