How do you deal with a REALLY bad day?

Training usually works for me, however, IMHO it depends on your judgement of yourself.. whether you can train without taking all the BS to the mat. For me, most of the times most all of the frustration leaves my poor little mind as soon as I get on the mat and am around the people in the dojo. If it doesn't, I know I have to be especially careful.
Besides that, chocolate sometimes is a good idea as well as calling my best friend and just tormenting him with my problems once more

John Boswell wrote: See, she tested positive for being pregnant a couple weeks ago... and yesterday, the Doc did a sonogram and gave her the news: there's a heartbeat and it's going 124 beats per minute.

Congrats, now get back to...um...er...never mind :-)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks everyone! Today started off rocky, but I like Janet's idea.

Not bringing the BS to the mat is the hard part. I almost snapped at Sensei last night which is never a good idea. That only leads to Yonkyo practice... ALL NIGHT ! eep! In the end, I sucked it up a little and ended off better than I began.

Thanks again for all the well wishes. I'll work harder to focus on the good news and do like Kato Sensei say,"Be like water." I think he stole that from Bruce Lee though. Just kidding, Shihan!

As well as getting to "unmercifully" practice Yonkyo yourself to your pooooooor compliant uke.....whimper, whimper
A bit of the old ultra-Harmony,(Beethoven in the distant background) to paraphrase from the "Clockwork Orange"
Lan

Me...?

Well, I have always been a proponent of the adage, "A problem shared is a problem halved..." therefore I find someone very deserving and then take my problems out on them... I always feel so much better.



.

Coffee. Music. Shower. Bath. Playstation2 (epic quests take my mind off things). Guitar. Training. Cold Beer. A Good Book. Time With Friends (generally watching Monkey or Sharpe or Ninja Scrolls or something equally as fun). These things have been known to 'Chill me out'.

Oh yeah, Congrats John!

personally i don't think you can find comfort at the bottom of a bottle, because the bottom is just glass, its the stuff in the middle that really works ;p

Bowing works wonders.

Hey Bozz... Obviously this is a bit late but I'll tell you how I used to deal with a bad day (this was before I moved)... Go to class... Grab Lan throw him as hard as possible... Repeat until all your aggression is gone... It works wonders especially when he yells :O..

Hehe

Seriously, I'm in the training group. I find all my worries and stress disappears the moment we finish warming up and start training..

1. lots of ukemi - survival instincts have a way of getting the rest of life in perspective
2. give your best aiki training chum a shinai and let him got town on your hide - another good reality check.
3. visit a monastery
4. small batch bourbon and a good cigar

...funny, these all also work to make a really good day into an excellent day.

I'll pick door number 4 please, Eric.

John Boswell wrote: Yoga?

I believe the yoga method to deal with all sorts off pain is pratyahara. As I've understood it's about not blocking out the pain in any way but to focus on it. For more information contact a yogi.

John Boswell wrote: I'll pick door number 4 please, Eric.

Recommend three fingers of Maker's Mark accompanied by a Romeo and Julieta Reserva Real in the Toro size. Should start feel that stress melt away like butter!

I have tried many different ways to deal with a bad day.
I have also been suffering with mild depression, so i have tried to use aikido to deal with that.
However not all the time has it been of benefit to me, or so it may seem. One time i nearly broke down on the mat and cried, when it seemed like i was being pushed to my limit.

I have practiced my Jo/bokken kata at work, and this has worked on occasions. I have also practiced taichi openhand, and broadsword form. I have practiced chigung and also yoga. Also just meditating.

I have not come up with anything that seems to work all the time.
At the moment i have not attended my aikido lesson for two weeks,just because i have no interest in going and doing. I am still searching, however i think along the lines that if you take negativity with you it can cause harm to you or a training partner.

I have wanted on a few occasions let my instructors know of my negative state and ask if they could suggest a way of training.

Aloha John\Keone,

Sometimes humor works even if it's some serious sarcasm. Try this one from the 1960s TV show MASH:

Ladies & Gentleman, take my advice. Pull down your pants and slide on the ice!

Aloha,

-Robert

Shaun Ravens wrote: Me...? Well, I have always been a proponent of the adage, "A problem shared is a problem halved..." therefore I find someone very deserving and then take my problems out on them... I always feel so much better. .

Aloha Shaun,

*You* must be quite a lot of "fun" to train with! "Take that! You rotten...!"

Aloha,

-Robert

John Boswell wrote: How do you deal with an exceptionally bad day?

Take the Boon's 1-2-3 special.

1) One fine Cuban roll (cigar)

2) Two shots of Scotch

3) Three pieces of Swiss Dark Chocolate (I like ' em bitter sweet...)

and let the world be... Peace!

Boon.

chocolate, training (really hard moves that have me completely puzzled and get me thrown around a lot), and talking to a beloved friend who hasn't gotten tired of all my noise yet...but failing the above, get a goat: a guy went to see his rabbi about the really bad time he was having he told his pastor, " you know I have x kids, a wife, etc to look after and life is really hard, I only earn $y amount etc etc, my house is tiny, there's no space to think etc" and the pastor listened patiently for a while and then said, "get a goat and move it into your house".

"what???!!!!"

"no butts, get a goat."

"oh well, ok, grumble gumble"

"and come back in two weeks to see me"

two weeks later, the rabbi asks the guy, how are you?

"awful...you know the goat's really making the place messy, dirty, smelly, it makes so much noise, it attracts flies, it butts me when I'm not looking..."

The rabbi listened patiently and when the guy finished ranting he said,
"ok get rid of the goat and come back in two weeks"

Two weeks later the guy comes back and the rabbi asks him how he is:

"oh, rabbi, life is so good. My family is fine, my kids are doing well, my wife is happy, it couldn't be better...."




<no animals were harmed in the process of making this joke in case anyone was wondering>

Sit down and breath from your tanden (hara),
In all you do use compassion, respect, courtesy, kindness and love,
in this way all things ill fall properly into place :-)
--Joshua