The Accidental Beginning of The Bad Day Playbook

The Bad Day Playbook didn’t start as a book. It started on a bad day.

Not a dramatic, everything-is-on-fire kind of day. Just one where frustrations and disappointments had congealed, and at a million little things went pear-shaped. It felt like someone had turned the gravity up and my energy off. The kind of day where you slowly sink into the couch and hope the feeling might pass if you stay still long enough.

At some point, I thought, quite simply: I don’t want to feel like this anymore.

The problem was that when I tried to work out what might help, my mind went completely blank, which was annoying because I know things help. But stress does that - it shrinks your thinking. Choosing even small things can feel oddly hard.

So instead of trying to think my way out of it, I started a list. It was just a note in my phone. Being stored somewhere other than my unreliable mind was necessary. A few small, ordinary things that had helped before. Things that didn’t require too much motivation, optimism, or a personality overhaul.

Over time, I added to it. After bad days. After good days. After hearing my friend mention something interesting they’d done.

What I noticed was this: on bad days, doing something matters more than doing the right thing. Small actions interrupt the spiral. They create movement when everything feels stuck. They give you back a sense of agency.

That’s what The Bad Day Playbook is for.

It’s not about fixing everything or turning things around. It’s for the moment you catch yourself slipping and want a way to respond, rather than just endure it.

I’ve used this approach for years now. Eventually, I turned it into a book.

The Bad Day Playbook is for capable, thoughtful people who don’t need a pep talk. They need options. For days when “just push through” isn’t helpful, and pretending you’re fine takes more energy than you have.

If that sounds familiar, I’d love to share it with you.

Sometimes, one small action is enough to change the shape of the day.

And sometimes, that’s all you need.