Who has never had a bad day? Put your hand up. No, put your hands down and don’t lie.

Everyone has had one of those days where everything seems to go wrong, the world has turned upside down and there’s no end in sight. When that happens, all you can do is hope you can go home so that you can curl up into a little ball and cry yourself to sleep.

But wait! There is something else you can do if you’re about to buckle under the weight of the world. You can take refuge in one of those things called security blankets. Security blankets aren’t necessarily blankets, but they’re things that make you feel a little bit better inside if you’re feeling like that guy from Simple Plan singing “Welcome to my Life.” Some of my security blankets may be eccentric, but they have an almost guaranteed success rate. They include:

1. Watching Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Yeah, I know it only plays on the Nicktoons channel and is generally aimed at kids ages 5 to 13. But honestly, don’t tell me there isn’t something endearing about a bald boy with an arrow on his head trying to save the world with his two Water Tribe friends. And who doesn’t love Prince Zuko’s lovable uncle and his obsession with tea?

2. Reading things in British accents.

British accents are cool. Reading is cool. So how can reading things in British accents not be cool? Try opening up any book to a random page and just read the first dialogue on you see there in a British accent. You’ll find it to be one of the most amusing things to do because it’s simply too ridiculous for you not to have fun doing it. For bonus points, add a sinister tone and pretend you’re Draco Malfoy.

3. Playing your favorite song

Whether it’s “Hey Soul Sister” by Train or Lady GaGa’s “Bad Romance,” your favorite song is the best recipe for making your day just that much better. I prefer iTunes, but you can rock out to it on the radio or look it up on YouTube and go nuts for a little while —because, dude, that’s your song!

4. Eating ice cream

Because no matter how many Yogurtlands or Pinkberrys pop up all over the Bay Area, sometimes you just need some hardcore, creamy and delicious ice-cream to bring your spirits up. Eat it in a cone, a cup, or right out of the box with a spoon, because the taste is what really matters in the end.

5. Making origami figures

It’s OK if all I know how to make is a dream catcher, a boat and a plane, because my little paper creations can turn a bad day into an adventure involving pirates, corrupt airplane pilots and a fortune teller with a deadly secret.

You might not do some of these things. In fact, you might not do any of these things. But however you cheer yourself up doesn’t make a difference as long as you know that you’re secure in your little world of madness and joy for those few moments. Congratulations! You’ve just turned your bad day into an amazing—OK, well, not-so-bad one.