Five Favorites {vol. 2} Bad day edition...

I almost didn't blog today, because I'm not having a very good day. And you know how bad days are. It's not just one challenging thing that came up. It's one difficult thing that comes up, and then while your back is turned something sneaky happens over there, and *then* you're so distracted by all of this you lock yourself out of your office, and *then* you spill your tea on yourself so catastrophically that you have to actually go home, change your pants, and apply burn salve to your legs, and *then* on the way back to work your muffler falls off the car...

I will grant, all of these things did not happen *today* but they *have* happened to your Catholic Librarian. Multiple times. But in other words, lots of "stuff" happens on a bad day, it's not just any one thing. And when you're having a day like that, it's difficult to see the good in anything. But I'm going to try. Without further ado, here are my 5 favorite parts of having a bad day:

-1- You find out who your friends really are

Those that rush to soothe and support you, that offer to single-handedly beat up anybody who hurts you...they rule.

-2- You realize that you don't care so much what people think of you anymore and you say what you really want

Being a shy person means filtering what I say a lot. I'm just very reserved. I don't often say what I really think because I avoid confrontation and controversy like they were deadly flesh-eating diseases. Putting yourself "out there," on social media, on your blog, in your public service-related job, in all those things, it opens you up to comments. To criticism, sometimes mean spirited. It's not fun. And one certainly should not be mean spirited right back, but it makes a person realize that perhaps they can articulate their opinion after all.

-3- You focus more on the things that are truly important

Mike. The kids. My sisters. My good friends. Even my patrons. Someone comes up with a question somewhat laced with attitude? Suddenly, I see that as an opportunity to spread charity to that person rather than feel impatience build against them. Maybe they're having a bad day too. Let me be an incident of good cheer in that person's bad day, rather than more negativity.

-4- You give yourself a break

I'm hard on myself, always have been. But on a really, really bad day I realize that I don't need to be. There are other people out there that are going to do that, whether I want them to or not, and whether I deserve it or not. I should be kind to myself.

-5- You have a glass of wine and know that things will feel better in the morning

Yes, that is what I will be doing tonight. Do you think the muffler shop will have a chilled bottle of Chardonnay at the ready? Because that is where my car and I will be in a few hours. I wasn't exaggerating about that particular factoid.

We'll get there. Check other Five Favorites over at MoxieWife.com :)