Cheer up, sunshine.

Sometimes we have those days (or weeks) where everything is just horrible. Where we're sick of trying so hard to achieve happiness, only to be reminded that the world is a very mean, lonely place.

I'm not having one of those days. In fact, I'm at the end of a rather good day. Which is precisely why I want to write about this now, while I have some perspective.

The truth is, this happens to me a lot more than I would like it to. Then again, having bad days at all means having them more than one would like to, right? But I digress.

It's taken me a long time to figure out what to do when I have these days. And even longer to figure out what to tell someone else who's had a rough day. But here's my oh-so-simple solution: be miserable.

Some solution, huh? But I'm serious. Some days are just plain awful, and all the good advice and shoulders to cry on in the world won't make anything better. In fact, they generally just make you want to slam your door in the face of the world and sleep your misery away. And that's exactly what needs to happen sometimes. Take every emotion that's coursing through you and just feel it. Be angry. Be sad. Be hurt. And don't hold anything back. Write angry letters (by hand, so that you don't send them to someone and regret it later). Cry. Yell. Mope. Spend the night alone.

And then when you wake up the next morning (or on Monday, if you decide your problems are big enough to dedicate a whole weekend/week to them), take a long shower, grit your teeth, and move on.

Too often we see someone who is upset and we try all that we can to cheer them up. But the way I see it, all that you can (and should) do, is gently remind them that everything will get better, that you believe in them, and that you're there if they need to talk. And if they're not ready or not willing to talk, leave them be. And hopefully, when they wake up in the morning and the world doesn't seem quite so mean, or quite so lonely, they'll remember your words and your encouragement and hopefully that'll help get them through the day.