First things first: if you’re reading this and you’re having a gross, unhappy day – hello! Smile! It mightn’t be easy, but by forcing yourself to smile (or do a really, really ugly face at yourself in the mirror), you’ll start to feel a teeny tiny bit better.

Anxiety can hit us all, regardless of our mental health. Here are 10 of my favourite things to do when you’re feeling your worst.

1. Start with candles, fairy lights, nightlights – anything. Making the space around you look twinkly and pretty can distract yourself from nastiness.

2. Read. You have to concentrate in order to read properly – so if you’re just scrolling through BuzzFeed articles, having a crack at 50 Shades of Grey or even reliving your childhood with a bit of Harry Potter, you’ll soon get lost in a different world. Distraction is key!

3. Talk to someone. Physically, I mean. Go and chat to your mum or dad. Ring your best friend. Talking is cathartic, and can help get muddled feelings out of your head and into safe hands.

4. Music. Another distraction! My music taste is pretty bizarre – my most-played song on Spotify comes from the ‘Shrek The Musical’ soundtrack (musical theatre life, am I right?!). Have a good old blast of some of your favourite (happy!) songs. Sing into your hairbrush/wooden spoon. Whatever it takes, people.

5. Experiment. If you wear makeup, pick a YouTube tutorial and try to recreate the look (let’s face it, I’ve never actually attempted to follow a makeup tutorial in my life, although I watch about five or six per day…). If it turns out great, yay! Selfie time. If it looks like you’ve been hit in the face with a dustpan, yay! Snapchat your most glamorous face to all your friends. Stunning.

6. Bathtime. A shower can be energising, but when you want to wind down, a bath is perfect. Today I used half a Comforter bubble bar from Lush in my bath and emerged smelling like Ribena. Take your time. Use your fanciest bath stuff (yep, even the stuff you’ve been saving for a ‘special occasion’. You are the special occasion).

7. Snacks. Food can be used as a source of comfort when you’re not feeling your best, so try to choose something healthy. Fruit juice, soup, toast – go for comfort food that won’t bloat you up and ultimately make you feel more icky.
Of course, if you fancy a stuffed-crust extra cheese pizza, go for that too.

8. Plans. Anxiety can keep us gripped in the present, and leave us with little or no hope for feeling better in the future. Remember – this will pass. Plan something nice to do tomorrow, whether it’s digging out your Nintendo DS to see how your Nintendog is doing (mine was delighted to see me after about 6 years), or planning a night out with your friends.

9. Breathe. Just sit for a minute. Compose yourself, and give yourself a little talking-to. What would you say to a friend in your situation? You’d be loving and supportive, right? Be kind to yourself. This is something my mum told me recently, and I’m trying to remember it every day.

10. Sleep. The most important thing to remember about anxiety? It ends! Change your sheets, leap into your most comfortable pyjamas, get that hair in the messiest, giant-est (not a word) bun, and relaaax. You’ll feel better in the morning.