How to Have a Bad Day Step 1: Dwell on the Past

Start your morning with a full-cinematic highlight reel of every mistake you’ve ever made. Bonus points if you replay that awkward thing you said in 2012 on loop—preferably while brushing your teeth or trying to meditate.

Need more inspiration? Try these time-tested methods:

Mentally Replay That One Conversation from 2011 You were awkward. They were awkward. It ended with a weird “anyways...” Now you relive it every Tuesday at 2am. Perfect mood poison.

Re-read Old Texts to Get Mad All Over Again “Let me scroll back to that message from three years ago where they used a period instead of an emoji.” Because healing is fine... but reactivating rage is just so much more satisfying.

Reminiscing About When Life Was 'Better' You know — when gas was cheaper, your metabolism worked, and people stood when you entered the room. Reality check: you were still stressed. You just had better skin and more hair.

Holding a Grudge That’s Old Enough to Vote They wronged you in 2005. You forgave them...in theory. Letting go might be Biblical, but how else are you gonna win fake arguments in the shower?

Emotionally Moving Into Your Past Mistakes Why live in the present when you can mentally rent a condo in “That One Time You Blew It”?It’s furnished with guilt, shame, and some light passive-aggression.

Wishing You’d Made Different Choices—While Making Zero New Ones “Ugh, I should’ve gone into nursing,” says the person currently ignoring 20 emails, eating cereal for dinner, and still dodging a library fine from 2009.

Reality check: Don’t make today tomorrow’s regret. We also aren't guaranteed tomorrow so take a breath, look around and be present. Do something today that your future self will thank you for...no matter how insignificant you think it is.

A good friend of ours once said, "Only look back to give thanks". I've never forgotten that and when I start to sense my mind wanting to go back to old tapes, I instead focus on God's faithfulness throughout the years, not my failures and regrets.

Remember. You’ve grown. You’re learning. You're not that person anymore. Have mercy on your past self—and others past selves as well.

Jesus said:

“No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”— Luke 9:62 Translation: You can’t move forward while staring in the rearview mirror.

“Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”— John 8:11 To the woman caught in adultery, Jesus didn’t say, “Make sure you never forget what you've done and let it affect everything you do from now on.”

No. He offered forgiveness—and direction. Grace, not guilt. Movement, not rumination.

Jesus doesn’t shame you for your past—He redeems it.

Dwelling keeps you stuck. He invites you to move.

Now stop looking behind you and have a great day!