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Where to Turn When Things Go Wrong…

Bright Side Up is like an “emergency optimism” guide for everyday life, comprised of 100 short chapters on how to keep a positive perspective when you lose your wallet, gain ten pounds, fight with a friend or get stuck in traffic. But which chapter will best help you today? This guide will point you in the right direction—literally.

Just hover your mouse over the issue you’re facing and find out where to turn within the book to see your situation from a better, brighter angle. As Bright Side Up will remind you, true happiness is an inside job.

About to lose it?: Ask WWMRMD? (p. 141)

Aggravated by others?: See it through a look-up-to lens (p. 206)

Bad news?: The good news is… (p. 219)

Bad with names?: Gift someone their own name (p. 149)

Blah?: Don’t take your blah personally (p. 40)

Blew it?: It’s more than it’s not (p. 35)

Blocked?: Break the un-rules (p. 91)

Bored?: Take the tourist’s point of view (p. 123)

Breakup?: Put a bow on it for your future self (p. 65)

Can’t?: Do the can-can (p. 21)

Can’t decide?: Choose backward (p. 190)

Closing yourself off?: Listen for the gems (p. 145)

Computer rage?: Think about the postman (p. 192)

Confused?: Ask your 100-year-old self (p. 3)

Dealing with customer service?: Reveal thyself to tech support (p. 185)

Defeated?: Keep going - keep gunning (p. 95)

Depressed?: Give a gratitude shout-out (p. 136)

Discouraged?: Use your underdog as an upper hand (p. 84)

Down?: Seek out a “smiler -” (p. 135)

Dumped?: Tune into your “real-ometer -” (p. 125)

Embarrassed?: Gaffe in all your glory! (p. 139)

Envious?: Appreciate your abundance (p. 97)

Exasperated?: Save the laugh for later (p. 67)

Exhausted?: Rest for a minute…maybe two (p. 71)

Face a challenge?: Recognize your new route is better (p. 51)

Facebook envy?: See the grass is digitally greener - too (p. 187)

Facing the worst?: Make the worst the best (p. 155)

Failed?: High-five your failures (p. 61)

Feeling blue?: Grab the color wheel (p. 32)

Feeling like you “should”?: Out your oughts! (p. 168)

Feeling old?: Force the run of excitement (p. 121)

Flat tire?: At least you’re not (p. 49)

Frustrated with strangers?: Let them pass (p. 212)

Guarded?: Don’t salt it before you try it (p. 127)

Getting nowhere?: Lower your standards - sort of (p. 75)

Grieving?: Celebrate the life in loss (p. 115)

Have to decompress?: Find your pina colada (p. 214)

Hopeless?: Hope to it! (p. 130)

Hurt?: Write them a letter (p. 172)

In pickle?: Flip-flop it (p. 5)

Insanely driven?: Enjoy the cusp (p. 107)

Insecure?: Look - your life is art (p. 1)

Irritated by someone?: Zoom out (p. 170)

Jealous?: Keep your eyes on your own paper (p. 24)

Kind of over it?: Take pride in persistence (p. 10)

Lame vibe?: Set your own soundtrack (p. 153)

Lost in life?: Steer life like a motorcycle (p. 7)

Lost money?: See life like a see-saw (p. 59)

Low moment?: Thank the lemons (p. 46)

Mad at them?: Peek in your picnic basket (p. 177)

Meek?: Take the microphone (p.17)

Melancholy?: Cover your blank canvas (p. 34)

Missing the moment?: Take a mental photograph (p. 194)

Missed flight?: Plan your party story (p. 202)

Need help?: See “help” is not a four-letter word (p. 161)

Need to do over?: Re-appreciate the re-do (p. 47)

Negative?: Walk a positive tightrope (p. 99)

Nervous?: Just do you (p. 113)

Overweight?: What’s your why? (p. 80)

Overwhelmed?: Fill in the easiest answers first (p.28)

Overworked?: Delightfully disengage (p. 189)

Pain?: Ask - where doesn’t it hurt? (p. 54)

Perfectionist?: Don’t aim for a winner every time (p. 78)

Pessimistic?: Rephrase to reframe (p. 19)

Plan is ruined?: See plans as just blueprints (p. 30)

Putting off dreams?: Why can’t someday be now? (p. 157)

Regretting it?: Remedy the rash of regret (p. 178)

Relationship aggravation?: Feel warmth within the quills (p. 109)

Rejected?: Follow in Joan’s footsteps (p. 117)

Robbed?: Ask - what didn’t you lose? (p. 199)

Road rage?: Put yourself in another driver’s moccasins (p. 197)

Rough patch?: Call it a credit in the school of life (p. 174)

Rip in jeans?: Make a good scar out of it (p. 204)

Rushing around?: Make the most of your middle - (p. 166)

Sacrificing too much?: Enjoy the right-this-second now (p. 216)

Sapped dry?: Give an unconditional gift (p. 163)

Scared?: Elbow fear out of the way (p. 93)

Single?: Enjoy the cusp (p. 107)

Self-critical?: Practice self-compassion (p. 38)

Setback?: Float to the current…then kick to shore (p. 208)

Should have?: Leave the “should haves” at the door (p. 217)

Sleepwalking through life?: Elevate the throwaways (p. 147)

Stressed?: Focus on the horizon (p. 104)

Struggling with decision?: Park the car or drive away (p. 82)

Stuck in line?: Love the line (p. 43)

Suffering?: Climb into the boat of great company (p. 151)

Surrender?: Let it go like a Chinese lantern (p. 87)

Tense?: Create calm in your storm (p. 56)

Tired?: Yes - go for a walk! (p. 26)

Too-high expectations?: Be your own gift-with-purchase (p. 112)

Traffic jam?: Rally in the rain delay (p. 63)

Ugly?: There is beauty - take it in (p. 210)

Under pressure?: Get the ball in the basket (p. 89)

Underdressed?: Dress with your attitude (p. 133)

Undeserving?: Always spring for your limo (p. 15)

Unhappy?: Live ten minutes in the life of the ideal you (p. 13)

Unproductive?: Find your sweet spot (p. 73)

Unsure?: Be friendly first (p. 143)

Vulnerable?: Take back control (p. 102)

Want to give up?: Channel someone else’s strength (p. 181)

What-if stuck?: Don’t waste worries on the “what-ifs” (p. 120)