6 of 16

Don't beat yourself up

When times get tough, the critic that lives inside us all "picks up a megaphone to say how terrible and awful we are to be in this mess," Rego says.

He likens this response to screaming at yourself for spilling milk instead of grabbing a paper towel and wiping it up.

"If you start beating yourself up in the moment with all those accusations and self-flagellations, you can only expect your mood to go in one direction," he says. Instead, Rego urges, be as kind and gentle to yourself as you can.

Next: Focus on what you can control