Page from my sketchbook -watercolor on Arches 140 lb.cold press

Despite the best of intentions, sometimes a good day goes bad. Like when you drop your fully-loaded brush in the beautiful piece of artwork you're working on. Once the day starts going downhill it can sometimes be hard to stop. Even listening to the news in the morning can put a serious kink in your day with all the negativity of late. So what's the answer? It's probably as different as we each are, but it pays to think about it and come up with solutions!

On Sunday, I started developing a sinus headache. No big deal, I have medication for them as I get them often. Except this one wouldn't go away. Yesterday, it got worse, and you can only take so much medication. You feel dull, like the edge is off. After trying to paint last night (and failing), I took a long hot shower, and went to bed early hoping that would relieve it. Nope, still here this morning. Tried repainting what I was working on last night only to fail yet again. In addition to my frustrating painting attempts my lovely old inkjet printer started acting up - it won't clean the jets and it's printing in bands - not optimal as I can't print any artwork.

At this point I was becoming seriously aggravated. Of course, this wasn't helping the headache any either. It was only 10:15 in the morning! I didn't want to spend the day seriously annoyed. What was I going to do? My solution was exercise. I find that when I'm seriously annoyed, angry, or aggravated that exercising is a great activity for me because I use the negative emotion as fuel. I burn it off. I fondly call my piece of exercise equipment "The Beast" because some days (most days) that's exactly what it is.

Exercising is not my favorite activity. I'm not sure it ever will be, but the benefits are outstanding. You see, some days the Beast wins and some days I win. Either way, it's my body that's getting the butt-kicking workout, and that's a good thing! It's hard to stay mad if you pour your anger/aggravation into your workout. It's also getting rid of all those toxins (stress) that build up and cause you more grief (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol). Don't underestimate stress - it is the gateway for ALL of those other ailments and many others!

Some days I don't have the energy to exercise like a demon, so I go out for a walk around the neighborhood. It never fails to inspire me in some way - a sound, a color, birds flying, clouds in the sky, light hitting the water - because I can't focus internally (on my problems) and externally at the same time. Once balance is restored, I'm usually on my way to a better day. For today, I've managed to put my day back on track and I even have a new painting started. Not all is right in my world as my printer is still sick and I still have the blasted headache, but I'm okay for now.

What do you do to right a day gone wrong? How do you keep from sliding deeper into the negativity when that's all you hear on the news, and the radio, and the web? Since it appears this economy is here to stay for a while and the bad news is going to keep coming, what are your solutions for turning around a bad day?