There are days when the air seems to have a whiff of positivity. You make the bus on time, breeze through the traffic, and excitedly skip to wherever you need to be. And then there are times when your alarm doesn’t go off for some reason, and you scramble to get ready just for a million things to go wrong. The sandwich you went to put in your mouth drops on the ground and the train you hoped to catch was so overcrowded all you could do was watch it take off into the distance.
But it can always get worse, and people on this list are living proof of that. If you’re having a bad day yourself, scroll down to find comfort in knowing that others have it tougher than you, and don’t forget to share the most unfortunate things that turned your day upside down.
While you’re at it, be sure to check out a conversation with an expert in positive psychology, Ruth Steggles, who kindly agreed to give us a few tips on how to turn a bad day around.
#1 On My Way To Start College And My Car Caught Fire With Everything I Own Inside Of It
No one was hurt in the slightest, and I was the only one in the vehicle when it caught fire. Thankfully, I could get everything out of the car before the fire got too bad and we had to back away. The fire department put it out very quickly, so no real damage was caused. Also, a little bit of context: my father was in his car, and I was between him and a truck. I sped up to try and pass the truck and try to close the distance between us. He was guiding me and had some of my things in his car. As I accelerated, I heard a pop, and my car began to slow down, and before I could react, it popped again and entirely died. I threw on my flashers pulled off to the side of the road and began trying to call my dad when the guy in the truck who was in front of me came up and started seeing if I needed help when we noticed the crackling of a fire under my hood. I popped the hood, and we saw the firewall was about to be fully engulfed by flames, so I called 911 while he began pulling all my things out.
Image credits: CarDoor_Curti
#2 Not What I Expected On A CT Scan Following A Suspected Gallbladder Attack
It's exactly what it looks like. I'm now terminal at 40 years old. Consider this a PSA: go to the damn doctor when you're in pain. You never know.
Image credits: lickykicky
#3 Microwaved A Smucker’s Uncrustable (Premade Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwich) For 15 Seconds And Got A 2nd Degree Burn. This Is About 5 Days After It Happened
Image credits: Praxzey
The most up-to-date statistics show that on average, an American has 4 bad days a month. These add up to 48 days per year that are dedicated to bad moods and unfortunate events.
However, this seems to be an improvement since 2018, when respondents reported having about 60 bad days a year.
Interestingly, the 2024 Avocado Green Mattress and Talker Research survey has found that Americans can pinpoint the exact time when it’s going to be a tough day. At precisely 8:36 a.m., they can already tell that their day won’t go as planned.
#4 I Guess My Sunscreen Wasn't Water-Resistant
Image credits: Pale-Equal
#5 Facade Wall Contractors Used A Drill Too Long For The Job
Image credits: RealTeslaFan
#6 Thought One Of The Bulbs Burned Out In The Backyard
Image credits: XROOR
A quarter of the time, people feel like there’s no way to turn the downright smile upside down. 48% of respondents even admitted to canceling plans or calling out of work to go back to sleep after waking up and sensing a bad day.
The most common causes of a tough day were getting up and feeling sick (35%), followed by poor sleep (31%), and waking up with a headache (29%). Misplacing the keys (26%) and leaving the phone at home (25%) were other top contenders.
Additional reasons for things going south included running out of toilet paper, forgetting the wallet at home, sleeping through the alarm, and forgetting to charge the phone the night before.
#7 I Slipped In The Shower And Went Face-First Into The Knobs. Now My Lips Look Like This
Image credits: Hexiix
#8 What, No Tie-Down? This Happened Not Even 50 Yards Later
Image credits: Key_Advantage4239
#9 My Legs After Mowing My Lawn While It Was Still Wet
Image credits: Fickle-Supermarket16
The survey further revealed that unfortunate events were most likely to strike at the start of the week. 60% of respondents said that Mondays had the highest chance of going into a downright spiral. Work schedules and the back-to-school season were some of the most common contributing factors.
To prevent bad days from occurring, respondents try to find time for themselves each day to relax (41%), make time for things they enjoy (37%), and ensure they are well-rested (35%). In fact, 71% of respondents said that sleep can make or break their day, and having enough of it can help to deal with things that may go wrong during it.
#10 Decided To Shave My Head To Give It A Fresh Start, Turns Out I Have A Bald Spot. I’m Female
Image credits: mookaroo
#11 My Entire Neighborhood Is Submerged In Flood Water With Raw Sewage In It
Image credits: NoMoreScaryDreams
#12 Just Got My PS5 Recently. Had To Evacuate My House A Few Days Ago Because Of A Tropical Typhoon. This Is What I Came Back After The Storm Has Settled
Image credits: Affectionate_Big8864
But even if a bad day is unpreventable, there are ways to turn it around. Ruth Steggles, an expert in positive psychology, suggests stopping and noticing what’s going on around you. “Identifying what is actually upsetting you then allows you to address the root cause. If it is something you can't change, look for some small thing you can change.”
#13 Flashback To When My Dog Chewed A Hamster-Sized Hole In The Drywall. The Last Photo Is Him With The Drywall Dust On His Nose Caught Red-Handed
Image credits: LeviathanMozart180
#14 Was So Looking Forward To Making A Pie
Image credits: itisSUNNYinhere
#15 The Store Manager Was Furious At Me (The Customer)
Image credits: Chrisp720
She recommends having a list of things that a person enjoys doing so they can go back to it when going through a rough patch. Like reading a book, taking a bath, dancing around in the kitchen, or going for a walk. “It is helpful to know your feel-good tool kit,” she says.
#16 Bedroom Ceiling Collapsed
Image credits: kmcatie
#17 Guy Found A Novel Way To Break Into My Store
Image credits: Cowboypunkstarcactus
#18 My Fiancé And I Bought Our First Home A Month Ago. Not Living In The Place Yet, But Today We Found Our Front Window Shattered
Image credits: Jay_PDT96
Putting on some tunes may be the most simple remedy to a bad day. Listening to favorite songs can help a person to wind down and take their mind off of things for a while. “A music playlist that gradually moves from uncomfortable emotions to comfortable ones can be a healthy coping strategy and facilitate a positive mood change,” says board-certified music therapist Megan Hoffer.
#19 Rearranging Fridge, Watermelon Rolled Out. I Ignored Thinking I'd Grab It In A Second. It Continued To Roll Down The Nearby Staircase
Image credits: LazloDaLlama
#20 Took Out My Earbuds And The Tip Said "No Thanks, I'm Good"
Image credits: taylorguitar13
#21 Took The Wife Out Of Rehab For A Walk Through The City. She Was Making A Selfie And Lost Her Grip On Her Crutch. It’s Still There... Impossible To Retrieve
Image credits: goprinterm
When things go south, it might feel instinctive to get away from people. However, research suggests doing the opposite and reaching out to others, especially those who are happy and supportive of us. A friendly conversation, even a short one, can change our mood, lower blood pressure, and make us feel good.
#22 Forgot To Close The Window Before Getting A Carwash
Image credits: Modern-Day_Spartan
#23 Came To My Car Window Smashed This Morning. I Don't Know Any Tomas And I'm Not In Debt To Anyone
Image credits: siggiarabi
#24 Someone Reversed Their Boat Trailer Into My Rental
Image credits: vikingmushrooms
Those who want to help out someone whose day isn’t going as anticipated should acknowledge their feelings but avoid reinforcing them or leaving them be, says Steggles. Therefore, she suggests telling them, "I am sorry you are feeling that way. What will you do to cheer yourself up?" or “I am sorry you feel that way? Is there anything we can do together to help you feel differently?"
#25 Welp
Image credits: Allocerr
#26 A Sea Lion Took A Bite Out Of My Salmon While It Was Being Reeled In
Image credits: SippinLimonadas
#27 My Mom Left Her Car For 2 Months, Came Back To It Covered In Mold
Image credits: FeaRoFDerbi
“I recommend that you say "you feel" because it isn't the day that is bad, but their perception of their experience makes it so. I also always try to empower the other person to be responsible for changing things. Taking over and doing things for them may diminish them and make them feel worse,” Steggles explains.
#28 My Stove/Oven Broke And The Display Doesn’t Even Say The Time Anymore
Image credits: Strange-Movie
#29 Saw This Work Of Art Parked Today, I Think The Cheater Was Found
Image credits: Thomasthebrownbear
#30 Water In My Parents' Garage From Hurricane Helene. It's Going To Get Worse. Luckily, The Entire First Floor Of Their House Is A Garage. It Was About 10 Inches When This Was Taken
Image credits: CowSeparate5803
Lastly, she concludes by saying, “Mindfulness is the key to not being dragged into the drama of a bad day. It involves identifying the problem, noticing how you feel, and then choosing what you want to do. If that is what you want, there is nothing wrong with having a bad day.”
#31 This Dental Estimate My Partner Received Was Just To Make Him Pain-Free. This Is After Insurance Too. The Dental Industry Is Absolutely Insane
Image credits: chiiave
#32 The Semi Truck Got Nailed By A Freight Train. My House Is On The Other Side Of Those Train Tracks
Image credits: astakask
#33 Microwave's Door Blew Up. House Was Built One Year Ago
Image credits: 9inchsofty
#34 Got Rudely Awaken By The Sound Of Everything In My Kitchen Cupboards Crashing To The Floor
Image credits: thecookietrain
#35 Ex And I Broke Up And Both Moved Out. When I Came Back To Check If Her Stuff Was Out, I Found This. Now I'm Being Charged $3k In Damages Because Nobody Can Get Ahold Of Her
Image credits: fuzzygonemad
#36 New House, New Stupid Expenses
Image credits: warmseizuresalad
#37 Well, I Managed To Go Four Years Without Getting COVID, And I Got It Right Before A Trip
Image credits: the_orange_alligator
#38 Saw This After Hearing The Loudest Scream Of My Life
I was working and heard someone screaming at the top of his lungs. Went to the bathroom and saw this. The poor guy was taking a dump when this happened.
Image credits: Revolutionary_Town21
#39 My Wisdom Toot. You’d Think It Would Be Wise Enough To Not Do This Type Of Stuff
Image credits: mdaws7
#40 Here’s The View From My Front Door, I Would Like To Note That It’s Not Even 4 PM And This Is How Dark It Is Because Of The Fires Nearby My Town
Image credits: Pezington12
#41 My Tooth Fell Out. It’s Been Loose For A While
Image credits: Mick0351
#42 Someone Threw A Brick Off An Overpass. I Was The Lucky Winner
Image credits: InevitableFun3473
#43 Bought My First Car, Got Hit Within Less Than 12 Hours
Image credits: Kellybelly5200
#44 2 Hours Into A 7-Hour Road Trip
Image credits: SpeedySpooley
#45 I Had This Car For 3 Months. Now I Have A Back Injury And No Car
Image credits: Striking_Intern_1135
#46 Was Using A Sieve For Wheat Flour To Make Chapati (Flat Bread) For Myself And Found Out It Was Full Of These Insects
Image credits: heretolearn20
#47 Just Opened My AirPods Case To Realize They're Still In Italy
Image credits: william_pakesheares
#48 Glass Jar Split When Opening Sauce For The Wife
Image credits: Welshevens
#49 I Didn’t Think The Suction Cups Were That Strong On My Forehead. I Have Work Today
Image credits: Able_Distribution209
#50 A Slight Misunderstanding At The Bakery
Image credits: reddit.com
#51 Diaper Got Mixed With Laundry And Went Into Washing Machine. Everything Is Covered In Absorbent Hydro Gel
Image credits: SpelunkPlunk
#52 My Mom Broke My Laptop Today, Doesn't Give A Damn
Image credits: flamingobsidian-
#53 I Am 46. How Bad Must I Look To People?
Image credits: DreamTalon
#54 Let’s Get A Roomba They Said, You Will Have Less Cleaning They Said
Image credits: nocakes96
#55 Fell Through The Ceiling Today. My Heel Did Make A Near-Perfect Circle On The Ground When I Landed On It, Though
Image credits: sadako233
#56 I Tried To Enter My Car, And This Happened
Image credits: Br0nc0s4Lyf
#57 The Paint Store Guy Didn't Close The Can Properly
Bought a car one week ago. Picked up paint while on vacation to paint my mom's house. A teenager working at a paint store didn't close the can properly. That's 1 gallon of slightly greenish-gray wall paint on the floor of my new car.
Image credits: zalik9
#58 I Came Back From Vacation, And Ants Built Their Colony In My Laptop. Those Crumbs Were All Eggs, And The Inside Of The Laptop Was Full Of Them. The Computer Wouldn’t Turn On
Image credits: NevermindWait
#59 My Mortgage Payment Went Up $731/Month Due To Property Tax And Insurance Increases. I Have Never Even Filed An Insurance Claim
Image credits: NugBlazer
#60 The Whole Kitchen Sink Just Fell Out Of The Counter
Image credits: ShivaLuna22
#61 Apparently I’ve Been Breathing In Copious Amounts Of Black Mold Spores For The Past 6 Months
Image credits: Loki_Doodle
#62 Dropped Off My Car To Get My Brakes Changed. Got These Pictures Texted To Me Instead
Apparently, the shop hand didn't know how an electronic e-brake works. Said he parked it in front of the shop, and when he came back out to pull it into the bay, he found it across the parking lot embedded into a wall.
Image credits: Skytrip
#63 We Grew A Half Acre Of Carrots That All Turned Out Like This (15,000 Lbs)
Image credits: Radi5h
#64 Got Woken Up, Naked In My Bed, By Four Police Officers Executing A Search Warrant For Someone Who Hasn’t Lived At My Address In Years
Image credits: MrBeaverEnjoyer
#65 Been Drinking From This Water Glass For A Few Days And Just Realized There’s Mold Growing In It
Before everyone asks, I cleaned it a few days ago in the dishwasher. I’ll be handwashing it from now on.
Image credits: welcome2blackparade
#66 Toxic Ex Cut My Expensive Gaming Monitor Ports
Image credits: Lauterec
#67 Unemployed And Doing Job Interviews. Thought I’d Wax My Eyebrows To Look Put-Together
Image credits: Karnakite
#68 Couldn’t Hit 88 Mph As The Storm Hit
Image credits: MimirX
#69 Found Out The Hard Way That Apparently I'm Very Allergic To Fire Ants
Was getting the mail without shoes on, felt a sting, and immediately swatted it off. Fast forward 5 minutes later, and I'm completely naked in my house, scratching like I've never scratched before. Then I noticed my palms and fingertips were now blue, followed by hives from the top of my neck down to my toes.
Image credits: thatoneguyy22
#70 I Dropped My Spaghetti On My Bed
Image credits: Mysterious_Cookie142
#71 Hung My Shirt Out To Dry, But The Wind Took It
Image credits: Chispy
#72 My Neighbors' Tree Fell Onto My 4-Month-Old 2024 Toyota And My House In A Storm This Weekend
Image credits: AdventurousTrash72
#73 Let's Go On A Hike, They Said. It Will Be Fun, They Said
Image credits: Ninjassassin911
#74 A Severe Storm Ripped Through The Enchanted Fairy Festival In Central Pennsylvania, Destroying Vendor Tents And Causing Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars In Damage
Image credits: diatriose
#75 Reports That The Fridge Was Emptied Before Our 3-Month Trip Were Greatly Exaggerated
Image credits: Rekatan
#76 Not exactly What I Meant When I Asked To Put A Trampoline Inside For Our Son
Storm ripped the rope holding down my neighbor’s trampoline. The safety net pole went through our bedroom wall and into our TV.
Image credits: PeaceGirl321
#77 I Had One Sip. The Lid Wasn’t Screwed On
Image credits: framedbyvise
#78 Apparently The Onewheel Low Battery Alarm Should Be Taken Seriously
Image credits: freeupgoodtimes
#79 My Car Randomly Caught Fire In The Coffee Shop's Parking Lot. It Is A 20-Year-Old Car, So She Had A Good Run, But She Was Working Fine
Image credits: greygoose1111
#80 You Gotta Be Kidding Me. Finally Caved And Paid For An Oil Change Because I Hurt My Back. Expected The Worst. Was Not Disappointed
Image credits: surly_duff
#81 After Two Years Of Living In My House, I Came Home To Learn My Mantelpiece Was Just Glued On
Image credits: m_i_l_k_d_r_o_p
#82 Well That's Unfortunate
Image credits: bald_alpaca
#83 Bought A New Processor But It Looks Like The Amazon Employee Beat Me To It
Image credits: eddurham
#84 Neighbors' Kids Broke Window In My Brand-New House
Image credits: callmeskips
#85 Had A Visit From An Armed Response Unit This Afternoon Because I Went To The Shop With My Umbrella On My Back
Image credits: pwnd35tr0y3r
#86 My Protein Shake Exploded. Over 300 Dollars Worth Of Stuff Was Destroyed
Image credits: Only-Lie6098
#87 Learned My 5-Year-Old Car Never Had Airbags Installed. Seatbelt Saved My Life In 60 Mph Sudden Hit
Image credits: MielleThe
#88 Drunk Throws A Fit Over My Mother, IDing Him, And Comes Back With A Rock In Hand
Image credits: Skinfreaaaaaak
#89 Can’t Get Back Inside Because She Threw A Hissy Fit And Opened The Stove Bottom Drawer, Which Is Keeping The Door From Opening
Image credits: CSirizar
#90 What I Ordered vs. The Funeral Flowers That Were Delivered For My Mother-In-Law's Funeral
Image credits: mgtimes23
#91 Tire Blowout. I'm Still Not Entirely Sure How This Happened, But My Silencer Came Loose And Got Into My Right Rear Wheel
Image credits: Admiral_Corginius
#92 Happy Friday, Everyone! This Is Exactly How I Wanted To Start My Weekend
Image credits: WhoDat2241
#93 Opened The Cabinet In Our Bathroom. The Nail Polish Bottle Decided To Ruin The Day
Image credits: freshdachs
#94 Please Don't Bury Your Pet In A Plastic Storage Bin. Someone (Me) Might Accidentally Dig It Up One Day
Image credits: jk600
#95 Neighbor's House Got Struck By Lightning Twice, Two Days After They Closed On It. They Had To Gut The Whole Top Floor Because Of Rain And Electrical Damage
Image credits: livinginneverland
#96 Went To A Wake For A Family Member Today. There Was Only One Other Person There
He was a much loved member of the family but for a variety of reasons no one else attended. That includes his sister and brother and one of his two daughters who lives not far from the venue.
Image credits: Carrmann
#97 My Brother Went Outside This Evening And Saw This. Yes, They’re Maggots
Image credits: koelan_vds
#98 This Was Not How I Expected To Spend My Wednesday
Image credits: sleeplessaddict
#99 My Alarm Somehow Failed To Go Off And It Cost Me My Job
Image credits: cheats47
#100 Came Back From Walking My Dog To Find This
Image credits: Raggenn
#101 Someone Parked Their Car In Front Of My Garage
Image credits: oddballfactory
#102 Oh Well, Just Five Dates. Still Hurts
Image credits: fooob
#103 No, I'm Not Pregnant. Thinking It's Time I Schedule A Colonoscopy Or Something. If I Even So Much As Look At Gluten, This Happens
Image credits: YukaHiKn
#104 Two Weeks! She Hasn't Bothered The Wax Warmer For Two Weeks
Image credits: reddit.com
#105 Reminder To Always Clean The Filter
Image credits: ronnieatfortitude
#106 Put My Laptop Back Together And Pushed Too Hard On The Screw From The Bottom
Image credits: rubbermonkey27
#107 This Stink Bug Is In Between The Glass Of The Microwave. Not On The Outside, Not On The Inside. In Between. No Clue What To Do
Image credits: VeryPerry1120
#108 I Thought My Friend Was Reaching Out Or Was Interested In Talking To Me
Image credits: jarjarnotsithlord
#109 I Feel Sorry For This Person
Image credits: Rashenghis_khan
#110 The Watermelon I Spent All Spring/Summer Growing
Image credits: PresentationNew8080
#111 The Coffee Dispenser Gave Me A Coffee Full Of Ants. Extra Protein, I Guess
Image credits: TrashAtEvrything
#112 Someone Drilled Through My Gas Tank
Image credits: reddit.com
#113 My Wife Bought A Dress For A Wedding Tomorrow, And Only Now Noticed The Cashier Did Not Remove The Security Tag
Image credits: Moetacular
#114 Haven’t Had Oysters In Years. Finally Decided To Buy Some, And They’re All Spawning Oysters
Image credits: marketmaker1234
#115 Felt Something Odd While Eating. Then This Fell Into My Food. This Is The Majority Of A Dental Implant That I Got About 8 Years Ago. Looks Like My Week Will Start With A Visit To The Dentist
Image credits: belshezzar
#116 This Has Been My Bed For The Past Two Nights. My Kid Has Been In The Hospital For Three Days, And I've Been Sleeping On A Sheet On The Floor Of The Emergency Room
Image credits: BMOforlife
#117 The Only Pepper From My Garden After 5 Months
Image credits: ThatOneHoennTrainer
#118 I Fell Asleep After Being On Call At The Hospital And Crashed Into A Tree Near A Business. I Was Like 1/2 Mile Away From My Home
Image credits: FoxtrotEagle
#119 I Fell This Morning
I work as the emergency manager for a hospital in New Orleans, and we’re currently bracing for Hurricane Francine to touch down as a category 2. I had to report to the hospital early this morning when I fell down the stairs at my house.
The pain is radiating through my knee up to my groin. I was hopping around first and moved to crutches before the physician in the virtual visit told me he wanted me in a wheelchair until we could get X-rays. Thankfully, I just found out it’s only sprained, but they’re putting me in a boot, and I’ll be on crutches for the next couple of weeks before getting into physical therapy.
Image credits: ibelongto_thestars
#120 Ordered Radishes For A Dish For Dinner... Supermarket Sent These Instead
Image credits: auntietelle
#121 My Mom Sold A Lot Of Items She Gifted Me Years Ago Because She Was In Debt. She Didn't Tell Me
Image credits: angelthevegan
