Self-confidence builders and breaker-down..uh..ers

Builder: Confide in a trusted friend. Explain all your hopes and fears and use their advice to slowly start up that road to feeling better.

Breaker-downer: Drink a twelve pack of High Life, drunk dial your best friend and throw up on your phone.

Builder: Find something that you're good at, makes you happy and distracts you from your stress.

Breaker-downer: Find a couple in love, approach them and claim the guy gave you VD and ask what free clinic he uses.

Builder: Find solace in your canine companions.

Breaker-downer: Blame all your troubles on the high price of dog food and unsuccessfully attempt to sue your dogs in small claims court.

Builder: Buy a new hat.

Breaker-downer: Go to a Red Sox game wearing a Yankee hat while yelling "Got Rings?" every minute on the minute.

Builder: Cook dinner for someone you love.

Breaker-downer: Cook dinner for the homeless, then berate them for leaving a lousy tip.

Builder: Call your Mom and reconnect.

Breaker-downer: Go on Dr. Phil and blame your Mom for everything including 9-11.

Builder: Consolidate your debt and make a conscious effort to improve your credit score.

Breaker-downer: Spend your entire paycheck on pop-tarts, whiskey and bail.

Builder: List your life goals and try to cross off a different goal each month.

Breaker-downer: List your many enemies and formulate a plan to pit them all against each other in a circle of jealous rage.

Builder: Start writing a weekly column. Good or bad, just write.

Breaker-downer: Write several partial columns, scream and throw your computer down the stairs. Repeat.