Get Over It Day | JOY for Today

(Updated 2/15/2024)

Each moment we choose misery or JOY. Get Over It Day is a great chance to practice choosing JOY, to cast negative thoughts aside and open the window to let JOY in. Tell yourself to "GET OVER IT," and remember that you deserve JOY.

A paper lantern floats amidst a black sky; text over lay proclaims: "Do not cling to the events of the past...watch for the new thing I am going to do." Isaiah 43:18-19 (GNT)
Photo shared by Humaied Ullah via Pexels


"Getting Over It" Thoughts:

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS:


Did You Know:

  1. The word for dwelling on a negative event is ruminating? While people who suffer depression and anxiety commonly ruminate, all of us are likely to now and again - especially following a stressful experience. Co-ruminating is when you continuously rehash the event with friends, causing them stress as well.
  2. The neural networks in your brain worsen the effects of rumination? Thinking of a negative experience causes your brain to connect to other times you felt similarly. The reaction is a type of chain event that keeps you in that negative headspace longer.
  3. Reflecting on positive outcomes eases the effects of rumination? Just as negative thoughts connect with negative memories, positive thoughts connect with positive memories. By choosing to refocus your thoughts on positive outcomes, you can positively affect your mood.

Read more about ruminating:

We'd Love to Know:
How you switch gears to positive thinking.

Wolfe Stew Connects

We all have things to "get over," it's true. Mine tends to be words people say, or don't say, and then the internal thoughts that follow. When my nephew was younger and he needed to "get over" something, I'd sing "Let it Go" from Disney's Frozen to him. It wasn't long before me singing the lyrics was consistently followed by him grumbling, "I HATE that song." Even now, the two accompany one another for me.

"Getting Over" something or someone works well with RESTARTS. To encourage you in your RESTART, we've made a GROWTH for Today calendar with daily tasks to help you embrace your RESTART. Each day is new, each moment is new, and each breath is good fuel for a RESTART. Know that we are learning to embrace RESTARTS with you.

We'd Love to Know:

What phrase, quote, or lyric you repeat when you're trying to "get over" something.


Bible Verses and Quotes to Inspire

Verses

  • "But the Lord says, 'Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already - you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there." Isaiah 43:18-19 GNT
  • "Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:2-3 NLT
  • "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10 ASV (I don't think it is too much to add, "I will be exalted in your mind.")
  • "In the multitude of thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul." Psalm 94:19 WEB
  • "My brothers, I do not yet think that I have got all the things of Christ. But there is one thing that I am doing. I forget what is behind me and reach out to what is ahead of me." Philippians 3:13 WE

Quotes

  • "Letting go doesn't mean that you don't care about someone anymore. It's just realizing that the only person you really have control over is yourself." - Deborah Reber
  • "Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got." - Robert Brault
  • "Let us sing when we can, and forget the rest." - H. P. Lovecraft
  • "Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose." - Lyndon B. Johnson
  • "There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind." - C. S. Lewis

We'd Love to Know:

What verse or quote emboldens you to "get over it"?

Activity Suggestions

Take steps to "Let it Go." This three-step process is useful at any age, just help your learners through the steps. 
  1. Identify your struggle.
    1. Allow yourself time to think about or discuss it but set a timer. When the timer ends, switch gears to brainstorming solutions. (Advice from Elizabeth Scott, PhD at Very Well Mind.)
    2. List what you can and cannot control regarding the situation. Counselor Keri suggests first tracing your hand. Then, write what you can control inside your handprint and what you cannot control outside of it. Or fold a paper vertically and label one side "Can Control" and the other side "Cannot Control."
  2. Make a plan to "let it go."
    1. Commit to "getting over it" by writing out and displaying your commitment in a prominent spot. "I CHOOSE to get over..." Remind yourself of your commitment when thoughts resurface. (Advice from Charles A. Francis at Life Hack.
    2. Keep an open mind regarding the other person. Work toward empathy and forgiveness. (Advice from Elizabeth Scott, PhD at Very Well Mind.)
    3. Set boundaries. Identify what triggered the situation and what you might do or say to prevent a similar occurrence. (Advice from Elizabeth Scott, PhD at Very Well Mind.)
  3. Move on.
    1. Believe you will survive.  Life will march on, and so will you. YOU are strong and there is always hope in tomorrow. (Original idea from Charles A. Francis at Life Hack; revised by me.) 
    2. Ask, "What can I learn from this?" Every experience in life is a learning opportunity, and the ones we ruminate on are often larger lessons. Look at this situation as a period of growth and challenge yourself to find the lesson embedded therein. (Original idea from Charles A. Francis at Life Hackrevised by me.) 
For Christian leaders, we love this 8-step list to "Let Go and Let God" from Spiritually Hungry.


Would You Rather:

  • Give a speech to the whole school or tell your parents the truth about something you did that you know they won't like?
  • Say goodbye to a friend who is moving or a pet who you are giving to a different family?
  • End a friendship with someone who is unkind to you or forgive someone who hurt you deeply?
Family Challenge:

Take turns sharing current struggles. Encourage everyone to offer something, no matter how big or small they think it is. Identify where each person is in the process of letting their struggle go. Offer support and encouragement as needed and check back in on everyone's struggle within a week.

We'd Love to Know: 

What works well for you to "get over" something.

We’re excited to share one more day with you and wish you JOY for Today and HOPE for Tomorrow.

Fighting the Good Fight with You,

Red stew bowl with steam rising from top. Wolfe Stew crawled on front.

Sample these related posts:


Find even more JOY for Today in our monthly calendars, holiday, and seasonal posts.


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