You’re cranky. EVERYTHING is pissing you off: the lady on the subway sleeping when you want to be sitting + reading a magazine, the chipper guy in front of you in line at Starbucks, the sunshine that is SO BRIGHT its hurting your eyes. We all have those days, where no matter what happens its not going to turn your mood around.

When I have days like that, I need a little perspective to put my problems back into a normal scale. Here are some things you can try:

• Follow Oprah’s advice:
  • Make a list of things you’re grateful for in your life
  • That includes little things like warm socks
  •  That includes big stuff like an awesome sister
• Google the median income of the place you live
  • In the U.S., it’s around $45,000
  • Chances are you don’t know how well off you really are
• Download the Thankful For app to your smart phone
  • Read some quotes
  • View the public timeline
  • Repeat
• Go grab a glass of water from that tap.
  • Did you know that 884 million people (about 3x the population of the U.S.) can’t do that?
  •  Because they don’t have access to clean water?
• Use the restroom and flush the toilet.
  • 2.5 billion people don’t have access to hygenic public sanitation systems
  • More people have a mobile phone than have a toilet

If you’re reading this, it means you’re part of the roughly 30% of the world population with access to the internet. Now don’t you’re problems seem a little smaller?

So you make it all the way to work only to realize on your first trip to the bathroom that you have deodorant all over your shirt. That invisible solid crap is a LIE.

Turn yourself right around and get to the nearest drug store. Purchase a the first pair of pantyhose you see. Open, and bunch them up into a tight little ball, or pull the stocking taught over your knuckles. Then rub that stain like there’s no tomorrow. It gets deodorant off of clothing every time without weird damp patches or little balls of paper towel. Ditto for most other surface stains.  And, it’s something I have on hand far more often that a shout wipe or a tide pen.

And while you’re at the drug store, pick up some safety pins, fashion tape and a couple band aids. Then you’re fashion emergency kit is complete.

When you call the gym to sign up for the 7pm spinning class first thing when you get to work, and are informed that you are the sixth person on the waiting list, well, its tempting to flip out on the sarcastic front desk guy who informs you that it IS the day after a holiday. And when your gym has been blatantly overselling membership for the past six months. But why waste all that energy (and risk never being put on the spinning list again by snarky guy) when it’s really not the end of the world?

Instead, use it as a pass to get out of work 15 minutes early to make the 6:30pm yoga class you’ve been meaning to try.  Take in some fresh air with a run outside with a new playlist that will keep you as pumped up as the tunes in spinning. Convince that sassy desk boy to put you on the list for next week, since you are so unjustly excluded. Flirt with that cute personal trainer you always see, and convince him to teach you how to use some new machines, like the rowing machine. With everyone in spinning class, you’ll have your pick.

Or just skip it, and try again tomorrow.

So, you were planning to have a relaxing Friday: to socialize with coworkers, have a nice lunch out with your work friends, and do just the right amount of work to take you into Friday night without feeling too taxed. And then they went and scheduled a full day of client meetings where not only will you have to pay attention all day, but you will be tasked with being polite, professional, and overly nice.

Think of it this way. You’ve never liked casual Friday. All of that picking out business-y tops to go with your “formal” jeans really stresses you out. And that nerdy button-down with dark denim trouser pants isn’t scoring you any points at happy hour. Now you’ll have an excuse to wear your best power dress. When you go out after work, looking fine, all of the  attention will be yours. What does all that mean?

Free drinks from all the hotties who will be talking to you. All that money saved?  It’s PRACTICALLY like they’re give you a raise.

We’ve all been there. Someone asks you where you work. You answer by telling them the location of your office. This is typically followed by an awkward pause, a look best described as HUH?, and a follow up question: So, what company do you work for? Then the realization sinks in. That’s what they meant the first time…followed by blushing, stammering, and slight embarrassment.  Or it could be the time that your boss greets you on Monday morning (pre-coffee), by saying, “I’m not used to seeing you in pants.” Naturally she’s referring to your propensity to wear nylons and skirts, but all Monday morning brain can muster is a puzzled look and a chuckle. Misunderstandings like these can make you feel, well, a little less than genius.

My favorite technique to fix this situation is to change the subject casually to a topic on which you are very knowledgable that will allow you to prove that you didn’t  suffer minor brain damage over the weekend.

Say you’re a sports fan. A good follow-up to a weird moment is spontaneously asking about the most recent game, like it just popped into your head. Or if you went to the movies, you can ask them if they’ve seen it, and provide some witty commentary. The key is to distract, and showcase your intelligence.

Chances are, while they may have noticed your little response glitch that it didn’t register on the same scale of ULTIMATELY HUMILIATING that it seemed to you. To them, it was probably more of a HUH, THAT WAS ODD moment that they will easily forget when presented with a more interesting topic. And, if they were polite enough not to make fun of you on the spot about it, they probably have had it happen to them.

It’s like the technique used on toddlers. Get it immediately out of sight. Then, never mention it again, and it’s almost like it didn’t happen. Then file that question into the category of things you know how to respond appropriately to, from now on.