It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of a busy day. The alarm goes off, your mind fills with emails, to-do lists, and errands, and before you know it, it’s 10pm again. But what if there was a simple, easy way to take back control of your day? Maybe even a way to help you reconnect with yourself?
In a viral video posted on April 22, creator and life coach Trina (aka @breatheintransformation) shared a fun ritual she and her friends have called “Saving the Day.” When they’re having a busy/difficult/stressful day, they’ll text each other and ask, “How did you save the day?” The idea is to do one small thing for yourself, kind of rebranding “me time,” so to speak.
Saving the day could mean going for a walk, making a cup of tea, or reading your favorite book. “Anything that helps you regain some space in your day,” she says in the video. “There are so many ways to save the day, and they don’t have to take up a ton of time.”
Trina said it was also a way for her to check in with herself, and she sees it as a light-hearted challenge as she’s always looking for new ways to bring more peace and motivation back into her schedule. The idea quickly became popular on TikTok, where it now has 3.1 million views and nearly 3,000 comments.
One person wrote: “This is the healthiest lifestyle tip I’ve seen recently,” while another wrote: “I’m going to try this today. I’ve been working 50 hour weeks lately,” and another added: “I literally just lay in the grass for 10 minutes and it helped so much.”
Turning your day around
According to psychotherapist Brianna Paluolo, LCMHC, it’s common to get caught up in the busyness of work. She agrees that by aiming to incorporate more “save the day” moments into your work, you can effectively slow down, relax, and reconnect with yourself. Without these check-ins, your week can quickly become a blur, and you may start to feel burnout, chronic stress, and anxiety.
Saving your day can help you slow down and act as an easy way to get out of a stressful bad mood. Sure, you might have been stuck in traffic for an hour or said something awkward in a meeting, but stepping away and going for a quick walk can help remind you that you’re just having a bad moment, not a bad life. “And these moments will pass,” says Paluolo. “It’s about recognizing that while you may not be in control of what happens to you, you get to decide how you react and move forward.”
This wellness technique is also great for carving out time for yourself in the midst of a packed schedule. If you’re currently putting all your effort into work or other commitments, doing one good thing for yourself a day and sharing it with a friend will make you feel even better. Text your friend and ask them if you can turn their day around and ask them to do the same.
Grabbing an iced coffee, taking a shower, or doing something you love that you tend to put off can literally save the day and help you feel like yourself again.
How to save the day
TikToker @emikopowers saw Trina’s video and fell in love with the idea of saving the day, so she immediately went to the grocery store and bought a bouquet of tulips, and while @gabi.dorsey saved the day by swimming in the river, @cakebloom had some time for herself and enjoyed some dessert.
Trina shared other tips on TikTok, like calling your mom while you take a walk, reading a good book, cooking a meal, or, if you’re lucky enough to live near the ocean, jumping in the waves for a little surf. Even just a short walk in the park could help.
Paluolo, the therapist, offers some self-care ideas, like listening to an uplifting playlist or taking some deep breaths. “Also, sometimes it’s as simple as breathing out and saying an acknowledgment statement like, ‘Today isn’t such a good day, but it won’t be like this forever and it’s OK,'” she says. “This is beneficial because it allows you to acknowledge that you’re not feeling good, reclaim your power over the situation, and normalize the experience.”
This trend has taken off because it’s so simple, and it reminds us all how easy it is to take better care of ourselves. “At the end of the day, we all want to feel happy,” says Paluolo. “Bringing more intention into your daily life helps you take back control.”
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Brianna Paruolo, LCMHC, Psychotherapist
