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My mobile phone lay loose between my hunched right shoulder and ear, my mom on the other side of the line 1,400 kilometres away, tears pooled in my eyes. I felt, pardon my French, like shit as I unloaded the days event dealing yet again with my colleague’s bad mood. 

My mom’s voice seeped through the phone into my ears, “It’s their bad, not yours.”

Like magnets to a fridge, those words have stuck to me for over a decade. No explanation needed, simple to understand, the first and best piece of career advice I’ve been given. 

“It’s their bad day, not yours.”

I don’t know if bad mood colleague knew, but their bad day, correction, bad days (plural) made my days and other colleague’s days hellish. 

I mean, we all have bad days, who doesn’t?! Lack of sleep, grey weather, a parking ticket, a dreadful argument can make anyone go from happy-go-lucky to miserable. 

Ok cool story, but how do I make it not my bad day, or more important, avoid ruining someone’s day with my bad mood?
Glad you asked, below a few tips to shrug off a bad day in both situations. 

Brush off the bad energy.
Literally, move your hands across your arms and brush off the bad mood. Also works without movement, with open or closed eyes, mentally ‘dust off’ the blahhhh day. A friend taught me this, sounds silly, but I swear it works.

Pictures do wonders for the soul.
Pics of my family and Paris are permanent fixtures within view on my desk, always. Fam jam smiles and the Eiffel Tower never disappoint. It’s a supreme reminder when you’re having a blah day of what’s really important. Print the pics, change your screen saver!

Find your triggers and deal with them. 
Easier said than done, I get it, but identifying what boils your blood is a good start to redirecting your bad mood. 
Is it a situation? Ie. Bumper-to-bumper traffic, too hot or too cold weather, a recent blowup argument? 
Or is it a person? Ie. Your spouse/partner/lover pissing you off, a high-maintenance friend, your micromanaging boss? 
Laser in on the trigger or trigger(s) and tackle them. You can do it, I promise the payoff is worth it. 

Sleep, eat, repeat. 
Sleep, my friend, sleep. Without sleep I have the potential to transform into the Devil Wears Prada Miranda Priestly. I need sleep, lots of it. It’s not always easy given a busy lifestyle, but I shoot for a solid eight to nine hours of sleep a night. 
More sleep = think better and feel better!

Eat, my friend, eat. I’m not a hangry person, but I know a lot of people who get angry when they’re hungry.
Hunger + Angry = Hangry
Hangry people know they are hangry people, no excuses, have snacks close by at work, at home, while travelling and spare those around you from having to deal with your bad mood. 

Sleep, eat, repeat. 

I could go on and on, but to keep it short, always remember those simple, oh so effective words, It’s their bad day, not yours, or more importantly It’s your bad day, not theirs.