I went to sleep and woke up in the middle of the night, stressed and worried, and couldn’t get back to sleep for a very long time. And then I had awful heartburn and it took six Tums to make it go away. And when I woke up this morning, I remembered the scary nightmare I’d had, and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
I was a few minutes late to the staff meeting and had to walk in in front of everyone and I was embarrassed and mad at myself for being late. Then I realized I had forgotten my tea and had to sit there without anything to drink and no caffeine to wake me up and I was exhausted.
I think I’d rather be back in Australia.
I wanted to have a normal day, but everyone was complaining and giving me their worries. Then I started to feel anxious, and the tears pricked the back of my eyes, threatening to show their ugly face, but I pushed them down.
I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
I started to get cramps, and I hate cramps. My cramps made me more emotional, and I hate being emotional, at least at school. And I just wanted to go home, get back under the covers, and try again tomorrow. I think they let you do that in Australia.
I realized that everything is piling up at once. Our evaluation visit is in a week and a half. Our PYP Exhibition is in two weeks. Our move to the new campus is in two and a half weeks. Why is it all happening at the same time?
I had too many things I had to do to get ready for the things that are coming and I had to cancel the things I wanted to do today. I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
All day long, the stress settled in, making itself at home in my heart and in my head. It tried to escape through my eyes. A few times I couldn’t catch it. I hate when that happens.
My stomach in knots, my lunch sat uneaten and lonely, while I worked and worked to get it all done. Would I finish by this afternoon’s meeting? What would happen at the meeting? It didn’t look good.
When they walked in, I was looking down, but they knew. It was written all over my face. My friend said maybe I wanted to take a minute. I went outside and breathed in and out, in and out, until they stopped falling. I told you it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
After the meeting, which wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but still wasn’t the best, I ended up crying to my colleague, everything coming out in little spurts. I’m having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, I told her.
It was too late to go to my favorite place for dinner, so I had to heat up something frozen that I didn’t want.
It was too cold in my house, and I hate it when it’s too cold.
I wanted to relax and watch a show but I had more work to do.
It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
My mom says some days are like that. Even in Australia.
my heart is happiest when i travel. read. write. connect. 
Absolutely brilliant! I am so so sorry for the day you had but oh boy did you ever nail this slice. I love this book. I think it deserves to be used more with children today, children of all ages. You should print and frame this and hang it somewhere just to remind yourself, days can be terrible and awful and no good and very bad…but good things can happen anyway!
Thanks Suzanne! I sat down to write a sad slice about my bad day, not wanting to, but not feeling like I could write about anything but that. Once I started to write, this mentor text popped in my head and this is what came out. Sometimes I plan my writing, but other times, I just wing it. I love this book, too! Loved it as a kid and love reading it to other kids!
Such a great way to share a day that clearly needed a do-over. I love this book and love it even more when kids (and teachers) quote from it. I does seem to lift the mood just a bit!
I sure wish I could’ve had a do-over yesterday! Today was a better day though. I’ve always loved this book. As a kid, I was obsessed with moving to Australia. Was I obsessed with Australia because of this book or obsessed with this book because of Australia? I’ll never know…
So sorry you had that day! I know I have had days that felt like that too and hope that tomorrow is a much better day for you. Step by step.
Thanks Erika…I know we’ve all been there. Working in a school is lovely most of the time, but the stress can build up at times.
I hate when days feel like this and it seems like nothing is going right. They get to the point where they are so bad that looking at it later is comical. I am sorry though! Keep being a trooper!
I hate days like these, too!
Oh no, those days are so awful and then they never get better, exactly as in the book. I hope tomorrow is a better day for you. Your slice describes all that pressure building up so vividly. Eeek!
Thanks Celia. Today was a better day. 🙂
I am sorry to laugh but you chose the perfect mentor text, and it is so, so funny that you really did just return from Australia! This is a good counter to your usual very upbeat posts about work, I think you wrote one recently. We see you- you are dedicated and enthusiastic but you are also human. Take care!
Thanks Fran…it turned out to be a good mentor text for sure. The Australia bit was funny. I decided to change it since I’d just been there. Yeah, usually I’m pretty jazzed about work, but yesterday was not one of those days. Thank you for your kindness and grace.
Oh, I am sorry you had such a day. Be gentle with yourself.
Thank you, Rita. 🙂
You use the mentor book perfectly. I could feel your pain from the day with every word. Hope tomorrow is better.
Thank you…it just came out when I sat down to write. I wasn’t really sure how to write it, but knew I had to write about it cuz it was weighing me down. Today was better.
Hope tomorrow is much better.
Thanks! It got better near the end. 🙂
Wow, I love your writing! I’ve always loved the book you reference and often used it with my group counseling sessions.This is a great way to release your frustrations!
Thanks so much! I grew up loving (and quoting) this book as a kid. When I sat down to write last night, it just came out…I didn’t plan it. Guess it was tucked away in the recesses of my brain. I bet it would be a good counseling resource.
Sending a virtual hug. I remember this book, and it always spurs connections. I equally hate when those tears fall, but learned it’s how the body releases stress. I see you and wish you better days ahead.
Thank you so much! I hadn’t thought about it that way, but you’re right…crying does help us release stress. My day started out not much better than yesterday, but by the end, it had turned out alright.
Reading this post late I know this day too has passed.
It certainly has! Thank goodness!
Brilliant use of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. It fits your situation perfectly, and lets you blow off steam after a (terrible, horrible, no good), very bad day without losing your voice and your internal humor. I hope the writing helped. I agree – your evaluation visit, PYP Exhibition, AND a move of the entire school to a new campus within three weeks is way, way, way too much! Good luck, hang in there, and think of Australia! (But maybe not the part where you ended up in the hospital.)
Thanks! I’ll wipe the hospital part from my memory for sure!!
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Dear Jennifer, You can always phone me when like a voice of reason. If I was closer I’d find help. Stand back and watch yourself react and then reset. You can do this because you’ve done it before. Hugs Gayatri
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Thanks so much Gayatri. 🙏🏻 I appreciate your encouragement!