We’ve all endured being at work on a day when we would’ve rather called in sick and, unfortunately, today feels like one of those days. Granted, it’s Friday and a beautiful day outside (and I’m inside at work) but it seems as though my luck ran out today. Admittedly, I’m at fault for many of the “challenges” my sanity has faced this morning, but seriously, when it rains, it pours!

But, since I can’t crawl back into bed or hit happy hour in the middle of a workday, I just have to admit defeat, accept this bad day and try to make the most of it so I don’t take it out on my coworkers. So, in the spirit of trying to be an older, wiser, more mature being who finds the silver lining in every cloud, here are all the lessons I am oh-so grateful for learning before noon:

• Do not put Styrofoam cups in the microwave. Forget about the environmental and health hazards of doing this in the first place — if you do, the contents of the cup will leak EVERYWHERE and you will have to clean it up. Thirty seconds might be okay but two minutes equals disaster.
• When parking on a slight incline, curb your tires. If you don’t in the city of Manhattan Beach, California, you will get a $35 ticket. Repeat after me: up, up and away… down, down and towards…
• Do not park in a red zone, even the slightest bit in a red zone when you think you might be safe. If you do in the city of Manhattan Beach, California, you will get a $35 ticket. (That’s $70 in parking violations, people… issued at the same time!)
• People on bicycles view pedestrians the same way people in cars view bicyclists: IN THE WAY. And they will let you know it… loudly, thus creating a scene during an otherwise idyllic morning jog at the beach and scaring the bejezzus out of you.
• Even on a bad day, your office can act as a safe house if you follow these rules: be focused on every e-mail, document, project or meeting; the more productive you are, the faster time will pass; think before you speak; SMILE ‘til it hurts; don’t step on anyone’s toes; and pray that it’s not time for your annual review.

Open any celebrity gossip magazine, and your bound to see some crazy story about Lindsay in rehab or Paris strutting in an out of jail like it’s the latest night club. While some of these stories are exaggerated, and others are all together fabricated, we can still learn some lessons from the lives of our favorite troubled, young stars.

1.You probably shouldn’t wait for jail to clean up your act.
Paris Hilton supposedly has “found herself” after spending 23 days in the slammer. As Anderson Cooper pointed out, Paris is 26 years old… did it really take JAIL for her to realize the positive impact she can have on society? That she can do more than walk a red carpet 3 times a week? None of us are perfect, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait to hit rock bottom to change your ways. From eating healthily to giving it your all at work, it is never a bad time to make some positive changes. You shouldn’t wait for your boss to scold you for being late to set your alarm a little earlier… and maybe that time spent at the bar could be spent at a local animal shelter. Just a thought!

2. Don’t over extend yourself… you might get too “exhausted”.
In case you didn’t know, partying 5 nights in a row when you have work in the morning isn’t the best idea (I’m lookin’ at you Lindsay Lohan). If you have work the next day, try and get a good night’s sleep and hold off on the heavy drinking. Unlike Ms. Lohan, we won’t all be so lucky and get to keep our jobs. And is a late night of partying with your friends on a Tuesday reeeeally worth your job? Probably not.

3. Wanna keep your job? Watch your language in the workplace.
Isaiah Washington caused quite a stir when he made a few insensitive comments regarding a fellow cast member’s sexuality… and those remarks eventually cost him his job on Grey’s Anatomy. No matter how heated an argument or intense a conversation, you should always watch what you say, especially at work. You never know who you will offend, not to mention who is listening. So choose your words carefully and make it a habit to leave the foul language at home.

4. When they try to make you go to rehab, you probably shouldn’t say “no, no, no”
Lindsay and Britney have treated rehab like a yoga class, coming and going as they please, not appreciating the program for what it is. If your friends, loved ones or coworkers think you have a problem that you need help solving, you might want to listen. So if your boss thinks you need to revisit your training manual so that you are more on top of your game or if your best friends think you need to look into rehab consider what they have to say. They aren’t trying to mean or hurtful, they just want to see you get better.

5. Keep your pants on… or remember to put them on in the first place.
Britney, Paris, and Lindsay have all shown us that they have yet to master the art of gracefully exiting a vehicle… and they apparently can’t afford to do laundry and or buy underwear. Whether it’s for a job interview or a dinner party, you should always dress appropriately. Respect yourself and those around you and cover yourself up. While fashion is a statement, you should try to be remembered by your intelligent contributions to the conversation rather than your clothes (or lack there of). I mean, come on, just because you don’t “wear the pants” in a relationship doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear them under that dress… it’s just a saying.

I know a lot of people – myself included – who stayed at a job because of their loyalty to their friends, oops, I mean, coworkers. One friend stopped liking her job after a few years but she really loved the people and felt pressured to stay. Another friend hated her boss and knew she should be making much more money. But since she was a manager and didn’t want to leave her coworkers stranded.

Studies show that people are happier and more productive at work when coworkers are also friends outside the office. But sometimes those friendships can make it hard to leave a job – and hold you back from going after what you really want to do with your life.

In my case, I had a fun job running a nightclub. For a while, I convinced myself that I was gaining valuable skills but at the end of the day, it wasn’t leading me anywhere closer to becoming a writer. However, I was young and not focusing on my future. At the time, I just wanted to party in Hollywood without waiting in line or paying $14 for a martini. And man, did I LOVE my job!

But no sooner than you could say “last call,” I turned 26. (more…)

If you’re anything like me, motivation isn’t always such an easy thing to come by. From little tasks like folding my clothes and taking out the trash to big ones like finally finishing one of my screenplays or working out regularly, the drive and motivation to get things done just isn’t always there. I’ll set deadlines and put up post-its as a reminder, but when the deadline rolls around, watching an episode of 90210 sounds a lot more appealing than heading to the gym.

It’s not that the results aren’t rewarding, I mean who doesn’t love losing a few pounds and feeling healthy, or finishing a project that you’re proud of? It’s just hard to remember what that satisfaction of finishing a task feels like when the task itself is for one reason or another so unappealing.

Last night, I was bored at home and I was about to reach for the remote when I saw a journal I keep to write down ideas for screenplays, short stories and projects as well as quotes and poems that inspire me. After flipping through the first ten or so pages, I pulled out my Mac and began typing away. I revisited my screenplay, began a rough draft of a short story and organized all my computer files. On top of all that, I finished the book that had been sitting on my nightstand table for about a month. When I went to bed, I felt great, much better than I would have felt if I had spent two hours watching TV.

There is a quote by Margaret Thatcher that I love, it reads, “Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s when you had everything to do, and you’ve done it.” The next time you feel completely unmotivated, think about that quote. I mean should it really take a visit from our family to finally get our apartment clean or a coffee date with an ex to get us to the gym?

We know money isn’t everything, but it certainly has power in our lives. It can bring us everything from agony to unbridled pleasure, so it’s important to get clear on just how you feel about it. What is your money mindset? The Y&S CAAAAASH Management System can help you get that piggy bank in order.

YSN Secrets is a production of YS Interactive Corp., founders of YSN.com – Your Success Network™.

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Music: Beneath Your Surface, Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet. From the Podsafe Music Network (music.podshow.com).
YSN Secrets, podcast, Your Success Network™, Jennifer Kushell, young and successful