"At singing time, she said I sang too loud.At counting time, she said I left out sixteen. Who needs sixteen? I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."

- Alexander (as told to author Judith Viorst)

Some days you wake up and everything seems to be going your way; other days, not so much.

In fact, some days everything seems to be working against you. Alexander, from above, is one of my favorite children's characters because he just can't catch a break and by golly he leans into his bad day!

I do that all the time, don't you?

Think about it, even when you recognize that all of your problems are "First World" problems (a slow computer connection, a delayed flight, a salad with too much dressing), you just can't seem to stop being annoyed.

Sure, you have enough food to eat, you can read, you have access to a computer, but you simply want all of the mechanics of life to JUST GET ALONG?!!

When that happens to me (and I succumb to a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day), I cave to the momentum of strained logistics and walk around put out by everyone and everything.

Often, in the midst of my meltdown, I gain enough clarity to see that I'm "standing on the ledge," and I am cognizant enough to ask someone - ANYONE - to talk me off it.

However, there are other times when I simply take a deep breath and decide to step away from the ledge myself. On those days I make a decision to change the course of my day myself. Simply put, I simply decide NOT to have a "Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." It is a crash course in Attitude Adjustment 101. I've found that certain triggers help make my descent from the ledge happen more easily. So, here are a dozen things that help me change my "bad day" attitude and that may come in handy when you need to stay away from the ledge.

1. Crank up the Music - can you be sad when you're listening to Katy Perry,Country Music, The Rolling Stones?

2. Exercise - I hear this helps. I haven't seen the inside of a gym in years, but I believe people who swear by this technique. Maybe because when they leave the gym, the fresh air is so - eh - fresh?

3. Cook - This is my preferred coping method for a bad day. I like to swing through a Fresh Market for delicious ingredients, fire up the grill, and burn my cares away. A nice glass of wine for the cook helps, but isn't required!

4. Clean- If your day has seemed to spin out of control, by all means, dump out the contents of the closet, trunk, or drawer and IMPOSE ORDER!

5. Read a book - Books inevitably draw you into another world and take your mind into someone else's bad day (not yours) - especially if you read something that would qualify for the Oprah Book Club.

6. Avoid Magazines - Have you ever noticed how melancholy you feel after looking through a typical, supermarket-shelf women's magazine? When I read them I think, "I'll never be that skinny - I can't afford those shoes - My house isn't that neat - My fashion isn't that hip." Magazines invite comparison and we've already covered how that's a losing game.

7. Avoid Shopping - I realize I may lose my "girl card" for saying this, but there's NOTHING you're going to buy that's going to help in the long run. So, do NOT spend your hard-earned cash on buying something that you'll forget about before the credit card statement arrives. The arrival of that bill will only produce another bad day in your future.

8. Call an Encourager - This means placing a call to the person who knows you well and STILL BELIEVES IN YOU. You know the type, right? For me, I think of Sue, Kathy, Susan, Cathy, Amy, Kristen, Lindsay, most of the people I work with, lots of people from my church, and all of the people from my family. If I REALLY need a shot in the arm, I have them on speed dial. (That helps give Billy a break from the role of #1 encourager!!) You should have your short list too.

9. Walk your dog (or your neighbor's dog) - I know it's a pain in the derriere to have a dog, but dang they are awesome when you're feeling down. If you don't have a dog (or a cat, I suppose), see if you can borrow one for an extended game of fetch. (Oh yeah, cats don't fetch.) You can solve A TON of the world's problems with a game of fetch. Not. Kidding. "Go get it, boy!"

10. Go outside - (Note - If it's a terrible day outside and you're not dressed properly for the weather, skip to #11) - Sure, fresh air is great for the spirits, but I like to go outside to see if I can find any critters. Strange, I know. But if you spend even 30 seconds watching a bird hop in and out of a bush (and contemplate the accuracy of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush") or an ant doing its thing, you'll be surprised at the perspective it gives you. Ferris was right.

11. Unplug - You don't have to go crazy and swear off electronics for the next 180 days, but even a couple of hours away from your phone and computer can really help. Remember, anything that happens online STAYS online, so it will be there when you get back. This will also prevent you from whining about your bad day on some status or tweet and being a total downer to your otherwise happy friends. When in doubt, log out.

12. Read a Children's Book - The best "reset" of my day often comes at the end of the day as I read to my kids. Even if you don't have this duty, invest in a few books that give you a perspective on looking differently at life. I've given ideas on this before (here and here), but if you only own ONE kids' book, you can't go wrong with Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

And, if all else falls, avoid places with ledges. Good luck. Go get 'em.

12 Ways to Stay off the Ledge