A Good Reason to Have a Bad Day
Being justified in a feeling does not mean rehearsing it all afternoon will help.
Some days genuinely are difficult. A deal falls apart. Someone is unfair. Plans change. I can usually produce a well organised explanation of why I am irritated.
The explanation may even be correct. That does not mean my reaction is helping.
I used to treat a good reason for feeling bad as permission to stay there. Once I had established who or what was at fault, I could rehearse the case for hours. I was not solving the problem. I was keeping it warm.
Recovery has made me pause between the event and the story I build around it. What actually happened? What am I adding? Is there something useful I can do today?
Sometimes the answer is to act. Sometimes it is to have an uncomfortable conversation. Occasionally it is to eat something and reconsider my sweeping conclusions about humanity.
A bad day needs attention. It does not always need a verdict.
An original reflection by Theo Luke Dornan. Independent and not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous or AA World Services.