Even if you wake up feeling great, there is no end to all the things that can bring you down during the course of the day: watching the news, getting stuck in a downpour, paper cuts, knocking over a cup of coffee on your white pants, parking tickets, surly people – the list goes on. Here are my favorite ways to feel better when it seems that the world is out to get you.

1. Look for the silver lining. A cliche, I know, but one worth taking to heart. Instead of feeling attacked by bad luck, find the positive in the situation: at least it was just a parking ticket, not something that goes on your insurance, that ruined shirt gives you an excuse to buy a new one, maybe you arrived late to that meeting for a reason (you may have gotten in an accident otherwise).

2. Make a list of things to be thankful for - your health, family, pet, home, job, upcoming vacation, great friends, happy memories.

3. Laugh even if you don’t want to. Every time you feel anger bubbling up inside you, try laughing out loud instead. It’s not easy the first couple of times, and you’ll feel really silly, but that only helps to make you start laughing for real. After you’ve practiced this for a while, you’ll find that laughter comes much easier in trying situations.

4. Expect a positive outcome. If you go into any situation expecting it to be a positive experience that ends well, chances are it will be. I always expect a great parking spot to open up as I pull into my grocery store’s constantly packed lot, and it almost always does.

5. Stock up on funny sayings, clips and quotes. I collect favorite quotes all the time and when I need a pick-me-up, I read through them. Some that never fail to put a smile of my face are quotes from Homer Simpson, Seinfeld and Woody Allen.

6. Get upside down. Inverted yoga poses are wonderful for all the organs, and can help boost your mood as well. An easy one to try is “legs up the wall” which is exactly what it sounds like. Lie on your back with your butt up against a wall, swing your legs up so they are leaning against the wall, and just relax like that for as long as you want.

7. Take a break. I’m as guilty as anyone of running around trying to get more than is possible done in a day before crashing into bed too late to get more than 6 hours of sleep. But it’s a terrible bad habit to have, and one that can seriously compromise your health. It’s so important to stop every now and then to just enjoy the moment and spend quality time with friends, family and pets.

We all face different challenges every single day, and life is not easy, but if you try to maintain a positive outlook and avoid dwelling on wrongdoings and “what could have beens”, you’ll live a much happier, and healthier, life.