Today I got up and got ready for my day, but I just didn’t want to. That’s my confession of honesty! I had no desire to do anything that I needed to do. I would have loved nothing more than to stay at home or better yet, just run away. Not sure where I’d run away to, but it would probably include somewhere with white sandy beaches or at least a hammock where I could take a nap all day away from my cell phone and internet. At least a girl can dream!

Sometimes it would be so nice to take a break from adulting, but that just doesn’t happen most days. There are responsibilities to take care of, bills to pay, errands to run, and on and on. The to-do list is a mile long and keeps on growing by the minute. Ahhhhh! This is making me stressed out just thinking about this. Running away is sounding better by the minute!

So what are you supposed to do with all of this? You can’t run away everytime that you face a problem. You can’t stay home just because you’re not having a good day. There has to be something more to this, and there is!

I want to share some things that I do that help me on those days that just need to go away. My prayer is that God will speak to you through this not to condemn you, but to offer you some peace, sanity, and hope as you struggle like I do, but of course maybe you have it all together and have no problems with this like I do. Then if you have it all together, then I need to be listening to you.

One of the most important things I’ve had to learn to do is to be my biggest cheerleader. I don’t wait on others to encourage me. I have learned that I must encourage myself. I do this by speaking those things over myself that God says about me in His Word. Even if I’m just not feeling it, then I still speak them out loud anyway so that I hear truth coming out of my mouth. Our words and thoughts are so important!

Another way that I deal with difficult days is to take some time out for myself. It doesn’t have to be a great deal of time or something that costs lots of money. The idea is to celebrate you in ways that are special and significant to you. What do you enjoy doing? Maybe it’s reading or listening to music. Maybe it’s taking a nap. Maybe it’s sitting on the front porch doing nothing. Maybe it’s drawing or baking. God made you unique, so celebrate that in rewarding you! You are worth it.

Next on my list on how I tackle those less than perfect days is to spend time pouring into others. This will work wonders for you and help your mood and outlook on life. This isn’t about denying your difficulties. It’s about seeing that the world is so much more than just your limited view. There are others out there struggling just like you. As you bring joy into other’s lives, then you are bringing joy into your own life. As I pour into others, God pours into me. This could be done by sending a thinking of you text, calling to check on a friend, writing a letter, running an errand, smiling, or just being a listening ear. There are limitless possibilities on caring for people.

I have saved my most important life saver for yucky days until last. This one always works and has never failed me yet. It’s what keeps me going regardless of how anything turns out, and it is my quiet time alone with just me and God. My quiet time includes one or several of these items: prayer, Bible reading, singing, silence, or journaling. If I fail to connect with God each day, then I am the one that feels the effects of this, as well as those I come into contact with that day. My quiet time doesn’t keep me from having a bad day. It just helps me to deal with it much better. It gives me hope that God is seeing me through all of my mess.

Everyday I must purpose in my heart that I am pressing on regardless of what happens. I keep on keeping on not with my own strength, but with God’s supernatural strength. In my flesh, I lack determination and will power, but in my spirit, God gives me exactly what I need to continue on. God is more than enough to see me through every less than perfect day.

So when you wake up tomorrow morning and think that it would be a good day to throw the covers back over your head and escape reality, then remember that you don’t have what it takes, but God does. You don’t have to be strong. He’ll be that for you. That’s why He’s God, and you’re not. You’re going to make it. You can do it. Just take it one step at a time, and be good to you. You are worth it!