Yes, There are Those Down Days

Yes, there are those down days, those “I just have to frown” days, those days when nothing does go right. You feel afraid you’ll lose the fight. Those days when there just seems to be more needs than money on the tree. Those days no matter what you do, the foot just doesn't fit the shoe.*

There are times in life when it seems that no matter where we turn, things just aren't going how we think that they should. We may not know what the problem is, or how to deal with the situation, but we feel like life could certainly be better!

It is at times like these, that the best thing we can do is give ourselves a shot of hope. Hope comes from allowing ourselves to look at life from an eternal perspective. As we do so, we realize that our current situation will not last forever. We are able to see beyond the current moment and make plans for a better future. We realize that our children grow up, financial reversals change course, and the sun comes up after a dark night. Life goes in cycles. Down days may occur, but they are also interspersed with days when the sun shines brightly and good things happen.

Then there are those down days, those round about the town days. Those days your purse is filled with bills and grocery lists ring in the tills. Those days when money seems to fly out the window, right on by. Those days the postman brings to you another bill, another due.

Lack of money is a real downer, especially when we are dealing with such things as ill health, home or car repairs, and people coming and going from our homes. Money problems create conflict in marriage and cause more divorces than any other issue.

When there is still month left at the end of the money, we have to reorganize our way of thinking about spending and the paying of debts. If we use the following steps, we can snowball our debt and get a handle on our current financial situation:

1. Decide now to stop further debt.
2. Cut up the credit cards and stick with cash, check, or debit only.
3. Make a list of all debts and the amount currently owed.
4. Put them in the order of the smallest to the largest.
5. Determine the minimum amount of money that must go to each debt monthly.
6. Starting with the first one on the list, add as much as feasible to target paying it off, while still making minimum payments toward the other debts.
7. Once that debt is paid off, add the amount of the payment to the next one.
8. Pay off the next debt as soon as possible.
9. Continue until all debts are paid in full.
10. Once debts are paid in full, use the targeted amount to stay out of debt.

And then there are those down days, those overwhelming mound days when all around us there are piles that stretch out for a hundred miles. When hard work doesn't seem to pay and there is just no one to say, “Good work, I really appreciate you. I’m glad you do all that you do.”

Whether we are at home with small children and the dishes and laundry are multiplying themselves, or at the office and there just aren't enough people for all that needs to be done, it can be overwhelming when we look at it all at once.

Having set times to do things helps us to get a handle on the never-ending tasks. Dishes are best done after the meal, and it is okay to ask family members to help! Laundry can be brought to the laundry room the night before by family members, and they can assist with folding and putting away when they get home from school. When we involve our family in the work that needs to be done at home, we have time to do other things.

Work piles up in the office if we have frequent interruptions. We have to prioritize tasks that need to be done and give ourselves permission to set aside those things that can wait. Doing so enables us to concentrate our efforts on the things that need to be done first, then use our down time later to work on those that don't have immediate deadlines.

Every work place has its slow and busy times. Planning to use our busy times for immediate things only, then our slow times for those that can wait, keeps stress at a minimum. Organization skills are vital to effective business practices, and if we can keep the work flowing at a steady pace, we are able to work without becoming exhausted in the process. The time we take to get ourselves organized pays big dividends in the long run.

Then there are those down days, those gray and blue and brown days when rain and snow fill every pail and there is just no boat to sail. Those days when darkness does not lift and so we fidget then we shift hoping for a better view, yet nothing different seems to do.

Seasons come and they go, and so do our skills and abilities. Hard work is important, but it isn't always the answer in life. Sometimes, we have to work smarter in order to make it. When the driveway is full of snow, a sandbox shovel won't get it emptied very fast! A snow blower is much more powerful and gets the job done quicker.

In life, we learn as we go. The experiences we have teach us, either from our own mistakes, or watching and learning from others. There will always be someone who can do it better and faster than we can. If we sit around and pout about it, we get nowhere fast. It is much better to roll up our sleeves and learn from them. As we do so, we increase both our productivity, and our opportunity for advancement.

There is room at the top. More people with better skills are always needed in the hierarchy of the economic ladder. Getting good at something takes hard work, but it also takes smart work. The sooner we learn how to work smart, the more we will accomplish for ourselves and others.

And then there are those down days, those deep down in the ground days when all the resources that we have do not contain a healing salve. Those days when choices from the past bring unwanted results today to pass. Those days when our abandoned quest has left us with an empty chest.

There are days in everyone's life when we have a different idea of what should be done than the person next to us. We can argue and fight about it, or we can go through the steps for effective problem solving:

1. Identify the problem
2. Brainstorm possible solutions
3. Look ahead to the costs and consequences of each solution
4. Choose the one that works best for all involved
5. Evaluate, and go back to square one, if needed

The problem solving process is on-going. When we work together for the good of all involved, we find that others are more willing to cooperate. We may not agree on the details of the plan, but we can start with a general idea, and work out the details as we go. Time is on our side, we can either waste it in disagreement, or work together for a solution.

When we work together, we come out win-win rather than win-loose. We find that others have many of the same basic needs as we do, we just have different perspectives. Allowing others to express their feelings, and expressing ours in an attitude of kindness, brings resolution much sooner than trying to force others to change or adopt our own perspective.

Oh, yes, there are those down days, but let them be the sound days when music sweet lifts up the soul and turns us to what makes us whole. Those days when feelings in the heart are from resolve that makes us start again to take the iron rod, the path we know leads us to God.

Down days don't have to lead us to bitterness and misery. Rather, let us resolve to make life better for ourselves by learning and growing from the things we experience. The down days will pass, they are the exception rather than the rule. Life is good. The sun continues to come up each day, and we have the opportunity to start anew. New beginnings are all around us, and we can take each one and use it to the greatest advantage.

Down days are part of life, they allow us the opportunity to humble ourselves and become better people. They help us realize that we need a higher power and purpose in our lives. As we turn our hearts and desires to God, we obtain the help we need, as well as an eternal perspective. Turning to God means turning upward, followed by hope, personal growth, and development.

Yes, there are the down days, but they aren't all there is. Use the down days to turn your life upward.

*Poem "The Down Days" by Denise W. Anderson