This is a day to just get over it!

We all spill a little bit of milk every now and then, but, as the idiom goes, it’s not something to cry over about. This February 11, National Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk Day will help to remind all of us just that.

You’ll often hear expressions like the namesake phrase of this holiday: “Don’t cry over spilled milk” or “It’s no use crying over spilt milk” today, but this proverb has actually persisted into modern times, originating all the way back in1659 where it was first referenced by British writer James Howell. He wrote it as “no weeping for shed milk,” and as fancy as the saying went back then, we still say it today with the same intended meaning— to chin up and get over it.

This idiom is meant to promote a positive message; basically saying that it’s not worth getting upset over things that have already happened. It’s really easy to get hung up on stuff that may go wrong during the day and, even worse, no matter how little the issue is, they can snowball and leave us feeling affected and bothered. Regret is inevitable in life when there are things we just have no control over or even knowledge about. Instead of fussing about these inconsequential worries, it’s better to put our focus on the things we actually have control over.

Of course, just being positive is a lot simpler in theory, especially when it takes only one negative thing to sour up your entire day, but that’s exactly what National Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk Day is for. It’s for us to remember that life is too short to stress about spilled milk. Rather, this day helps remind us to:

• Be prepared. Sometimes, things don’t go our way simply because we hadn’t set ourselves up for it properly. It never hurts to do a little planning ahead of time to be better prepared.
• Expect the unexpected. Other times, no amount of planning can deal with the fact that things just happen. If we adjust to this and move along, it’ll be nothing but a minor inconvenience.
• Step back and take time to look around. Ask yourself if the thing you’re worked up about will still matter in a day. Has it felt like it mattered for way too long already? Breathe and let those regrets go as you exhale.

Maintaining a positive attitude in spite of disappointment or regret benefits us greatly. It lets us view things from a different perspective instead of dwelling on the unchangeable past. Not only that, but we get better at dealing with future troubles the more we get used to shrugging off the inevitable. Some things just are, and metaphorical milk isn’t something to mourn for. When our little glass spills over, which it does sooner or later, this holiday will be sure to help us handle the mess.