@merpreb and @nannette1941, Darn! Those days of being in a funk when we feel angry and depressed are really a bear aren't they!

After the many numerous good wishes for a Happy New Year followed by comments of "hope for how much better the new year will be..(and I am guilty of those for sure!), I hit a funky bomb day with the thoughts of "what if it isn't a happier, saner, healthier year? After all, "things can always get worse!", right? Oh, my word...that is a sure trademark of "stinkin' thinkin" but it does happen and perhaps to most of us from time to time.

Not @nannette1941, but Merry, your question got me thinking of what I've done or do to help me step out of the blues when they hit. One of the best is to leave the house and head for a park or even head for a large pkg lot and just watch people going in and out...any season will work.

Another, weather permitting, is going into my yard and doing something physical to my landscape. Just turning the compost pile or ideas for adding or deleting plants for the next season or pulling weeds helps because I can lose myself there and it removes my focus on what's troubling and redirects me to a more constructive train of thought.

Long before I started jotting down gratitudes each morning and night before bed during the pandemic, I used to make myself sit and write as fast as possible as many gratitudes as I could come up with.

Merry, I agree that reaching out to someone else is another great antidote. When I'm having a really down day though, I don't want to call another but I've sometimes made myself make a call anyway...not to share my own blues but to check on what is happening with them..just hearing another voice and what is shared can improve my spirits.

Whatever I can come up with that will redirect my focus away from me and onto something else can make a difference. Physically "doing" rather than sitting and "mulling" works best for me.

However, yesterday was one of those days when I was feeling angry at the "state of the world". Could not work up interest in anything in the yard so drove over to the local wildflower park. Usually there are a few others there walking which allows for a wave or "hi" but I had the small park all to myself and though it felt strange not to see another, I did push to walk farther and longer than usual. Driving away I saw a family of four walking in the park. Timing is everything but I did have my own private park for awhile, yes?

Decided that the car could really use a professional bath but too many others had the same idea and my patience wasn't up to the wait. Once home, I grabbed the spray and cleaned all the windows. That didn't take long but doing that one small thing improved my outlook. Had been "looking at" the basket of yarn, needles and instr. manuals sitting on my breakfast bar for days to encourage my attempt to re-teach and resume knitting for the new year. Last evening, I actually opened the manual and while I wasn't completely successful with the beginning steps, I was surprised that instead of being frustrated at the failed attempt, I would never have even tried that yesterday given my mood earlier in the day. Everything is relative yes?

Just a ramble here and not expecting responses but glad to have a place to share and would be interested in hearing what others do and find helpful when a down day happens?