Have you ever had one of those days like Alexander in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst? If you haven’t read this children’s classic, Alexander is a little boy who woke up with gum in his hair, and as he went through his day had quite a few situations that led to a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.”
I’m pretty sure everyone has experienced at least a day or two like that. You know what I mean. You wake late and in your hurry to get to your first appointment you spill coffee all over your freshly laundered dress. You arrive at your final dress fitting to find out that those 2-3 lbs you put on mean that you either have to lose that weight in the next couple of weeks and keep it off until your wedding, or there will have to be significant alterations made to your dress. Then you find out that your good friend from another state isn’t going to be able to be at your wedding. And finally, you learn that the flowers you want are not in your budget. Those are the types of days that make you thankful for the truly amazing ones.
I was blessed last week to have one of those beautiful days. I awoke to blue skies, birds singing, and got to spend time with a dear friend, catching up on news and laughing about the silliest of memories. It was a day that was deep-down good for the soul, and helped me remember to be grateful in all things, whether it is a day filled with joy or one like Alexander’s.
I’d like to encourage you, dear bride-to-be, that if you are having a fabulous day to bask in it, and let it shine through to others. Send someone a text, card, or email. Make a phone call to an old friend simply to catch up. Relationships matter, and reaching out to friends and family and letting them know you care can make a huge difference in their lives, especially if they are having a “terrible, horrible, no good very bad day,” …or week…or season.
And if you are a bride-to-be having a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day,” I get it. And as Alexander learns, “some days are like that.” With all the crazy mishaps that happened surrounding my own wedding, I understand. A series of unfortunate events led me to become a certified wedding planner in order to help others so they don’t have the type of wedding experience I had. So here are a few things that can help you in the middle of a bad day. They may or may not change the circumstances, but they can make a big difference in creating a positive and can-do attitude.
- Take a couple of minutes to remind yourself of the things you are thankful for today.
- Take time to pray and quiet your mind, even if you only have five minutes.
- Flash someone a smile or do a simple kindness.
- Take a short nap if possible.
- Remember we are in your corner from start to finish.
You will get through this. And you can even turn a terrible day into something good when you choose joy and learn valuable lessons from hard circumstances. And someday soon, maybe even tomorrow, will be a day filled with sunshine and joy.