Not Every Day Is a Good Day, and That's Okay

Some days, everything clicks. The ideas come easily, the coffee is good, and I feel like I know exactly what I'm doing with this little brand.

And some days, it doesn't. The to-do list feels impossible, my brain won't settle, and even small decisions feel heavy.

I wanted to write about those days, because I don't think we talk about them enough. Not every day is a good day. And that's okay.

The days nobody talks about

Online, it can look like everyone else has it together. Small brands share the launches and the sold-out drops. People share the good days and the wins. I do it too.

What you don't usually see is the in-between. I written my previous blog about running this business with ADHD, and about how much harder it's been than I expected (The Honest Version). The hard days are part of that story. They're not a detour from it.

A bad day isn't a bad life

When you're an overthinker, one rough afternoon can turn into a verdict. Suddenly it's proof that you're behind, or that you're getting everything wrong. If you know that spiral, you're in good company here.

On those days, I try to remind myself that a bad day is one day. It doesn't erase the good ones that came before, and it doesn't cancel the ones still coming.

What helps me on the harder days

I'm not going to pretend I have a routine that fixes everything. Nothing fixes everything. But here are a few small things that can make a hard day feel a little lighter. For example, on a rough afternoon, even jotting down one good thing that happened, like a kind message or a really good cup of coffee, can be enough to shift the day a little.

• Write down three good things. They can be tiny: a good coffee, a song you liked, a kind text from a friend. On a hard day, small counts.

• Thank someone. Send a quick message to a person who made your week a little easier. Gratitude has a way of pulling you out of your own head for a minute.

• Step outside and notice one thing. Take a short walk around the block, then pick one thing you're glad you saw: the light, a dog, the crisp air. No goal beyond that.

Some days, getting through is the whole goal, whether that means answering one email, making yourself a proper meal, or just getting out of bed and putting on your comfiest hoodie. That counts.

Why "It Gets Better" matters to me

That's a big part of why the It Gets Better collection exists. It's a reminder you can wear, for the days when you need to hear it most.

On the days my brain feels extra loud, I reach for my Bad Brain Day Waffle Hat. It's a small reminder that a bad brain day is just that: a day.

Looking forward to the good days

The good days do come back. Sometimes they're close: the Christmas holidays are almost here, with time off, cozy nights in and the people we love. Sometimes they're a little further off, like those first warm days of summer, when Toronto finally thaws out and everything feels lighter. On the grey days, it helps to have something to look forward to.

I wrote a while back about learning to love the process instead of rushing it (Good Things Take Time). Hard days are part of that process too.

If today is a hard one for you, I hope you can be a little gentler with yourself than usual. You don't have to earn rest. You don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to get to tomorrow, and tomorrow might be one of the good ones.

Whatever kind of day you're having, you're welcome here. The club's always open.

– Mariss