“Either you run the day or the day runs you.” — Jim Rohn

How to solve an awful day? Clear your calendar. Postpone all social engagements, take time out for yourself & do one (or all) of the following…

Go to Lush & pick yourself up a little treat. A bath ballistic or little slice of shower jelly costs less than some people’s lunch, so it’s not an extravagance, especially when you consider how good it will make you feel! My picks are Fairy Jasmine (absolute hands-down favourite of ALL time!) & Youki-Hi bath ballistics, Flying Fox & Sonic Death Monkey shower gels, Almond & Skinny Dip buttercreams & Creamy Candy & Flosty Gritter bubble bars. I promise, a good hot bath or shower with any of these products will make you feel totally luxurious — & if you’re concerned about water use, you can always invite someone else in with you!

Construct a fort or wigpee & hide in there for a while with your favourite book.

Listen to your favourite songs, but don’t be tempted to mope the day away with Elliott Smith, even if he is your favourite ever musician! Keep it upbeat.

Escape. Go to the beach or lake, take a walk in a nearby forest, play on the swings in a park, stroll through a mall, go to a cafe & order something strange from the menu. Or go & see someone who you know will be supportive & awesome to you.

Utilise the power of the internet! It’s not all procrastination & research, you know! Go to Youtube & type in random combinations of words. Watch odd Japanese cartoons, people lip-syncing in their bedrooms & uncomfortably intimate video diaries. See girls pole-dance in their garages, circus freaks & interviews with your idols.

Go to a florist’s shop or garden centre. Sniff everything. Buy yourself a little something & put it beside your bed & give it a name.

Buy some 5-HTP & pop a couple.

Just go for a walk. Sometimes, immersing myself in crowds of people is the only way to get me out of my own head.

Go to the library or bookstore & read anything by Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra or Francesca Lia Block!

Get a manicure, a pedicure, a massage, a facial, reflexology or reiki. Lie back & bliss out.

Start planning a vacation, an art project, a new haircut, a huge party, a cake recipe or the best smoothie ever.

Sneak into a hotel & use their pool.

Look at these puppies & kittens through a fish-eye lens. SO CUTE it hurts. Usually I am not one of those pet photo people, but these photos make me squee every time.

Dress up like a spy & take photobooth pictures.

Make a huge batch of cupcakes, gingerbread or fudge. Scoff.

Rip up your old magazines & use your favourite pictures to make your 2008 planner more interesting.

Meditate.

Buy a really good bar of chocolate. Go to a specialist chocolate shop if you can manage it, but if not, just buy your absolute favourite from the supermarket. Squirrel it away in your room. Put on some good soft music. Lie down with your eyes closed & eat it slowly. Then have a nap with lots of pillows & blankets up around your ears.

Buy a crystal that you really like, & carry it around with you.

Write letters & seal them with kisses.

Make a pot of tea & drink it while you look out the window.

Read Overheard In New York & laugh mercilessly.

Put on a kimono & run up & down the street.

Go skinny-dipping at midnight.

Take your best friend to a greasy diner, pump the jukebox full of change & dance in your booth.

Drink a whole lot of espresso & sit in front of your typewriter & wait for inspiration/caffeine to strike.

Eat an avocado with rock salt.

Have a good shower & while you’re in there, rant. Have a big rave about everything that happened that made your day so awful. While you do it, tap the side of your hand, near your little finger, if you dare! (Drink water.)

Cut out pictures of Where’s Wally & paste them up in public (but slightly hidden) places.

Buy new stationery.

Photocopy pictures of the most inspiring people you can think of, & stick them everywhere. In the bathroom, above your bed, near your computer, on the front door.

Read or watch Tank Girl.

Buy cute underwear & then parade it around your house.

Go to an aquarium.

Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for.

Design yourself a business card to use ten years from now.

Get some exercise — fun exercise. Put on your favourite Bollywood movie & dance around your living room. Do a yoga class. Take aqua aerobics. Practise handstands. Or just have a tantrum-esque thrash in your bed. That often works for me.

Go to a 24-hour donut shop.

Get your library to reserve you a whole lot of bizarre books.

Have your palm read.

Work out how to prevent having your day ruined like this in the future.

Kiss somebody.

Go out dancing alone.

Learn more about astronomy.

Start an online journal.

Write a list of things you want to do this year.

Walk around with a dictaphone & record the weird noises you hear.

Order a big bunch of zines.

Make faces in the mirror.

Wear a blanket over your head until the day is over.

What do you do to make yourself feel better when the day’s getting you down?