If you struggle to gas yourself up, that’s okay. You can go with something more neutral as well. Think: “Everyone has imperfections” or “Focus on what you can control.” Or hey, the next tip would make for an excellent sticky note reminder, too.3. Repeat after us: Other people don’t care that much.But in a good way! “When my clients worry about what other people think of their skin, I always remind them that people generally don’t think about us as often as we think they do,” Tammy Fletcher, PhD, LMFT, a therapist who specializes in skin-picking disorders, tells SELF. “They’re usually wrapped up in their own thoughts and insecurities, and they may even be worrying about what you think about them.”Before heading out for the day, try taking a moment for a few deep breaths and repeat some version of, “People are more focused on themselves than on my skin.” It might seem small, but Dr. Fletcher says these mindfulness pauses ahead of social interactions can help you spend less time thinking, “Oh my god, they’re staring at my huge zit right now” in the moment.4. Let your feelings out.You can acknowledge it: “A bad skin day sucks—there’s no spin I can put on it to make it not suck,” Dr. Fletcher says. And what’s more, you can (and should) embrace the suckiness if that feels better to you, she explains: “We don’t have to say, oh, it’s beautiful, it’s fine. No one wants to deal with a bad skin day.”You might lament out loud to yourself in the mirror, but Dr. Fletcher encourages sharing your troubles with someone else, too. If you have a therapist, try dedicating some air time to your acne or eczema woes in your next session. You could also vent to a peer who’s experienced something similar, since you probably won’t have to look far to find someone who has been personally victimized by a bad skin day, according to Dr. Fletcher and Dr. Johnson.5. Remind yourself what actual skin looks like.With how pervasive airbrushing filters and full-on face-tuning are these days, it can be easy to forget that your social media feed doesn’t always reflect reality. “Skin is bumpy and has all kinds of different colors and is very imperfect and changes from day to day,” Dr. Fletcher says. “But that’s not what we see reflected on our screens.”Being mindful of your media consumption is a good place to start. That might mean following more true-to-life accounts on TikTok or reminding yourself that your favorite Bridgerton characters have a full makeup team behind them. (To see a range of authentic complexions, check out SELF’s Group Shot series, which highlights everyday people without filters or makeup.)6. Maintain a consistent skin care routine.Both Dr. Fletcher and Dr. Johnson emphasized the importance of showing your skin some love on bad skin days—especially considering how many of us are drawn to pop, pluck, pick, or otherwise punish our faces when they misbehave. Dr. Fletcher notes that taking a few minutes each day to care for your skin can serve as a grounding ritual, offering a moment of calm, while Dr. Johnson highlights that self-care practices, including skin care, are acts of kindness towards yourself, which can boost your confidence and overall mood.