Stop me if this sounds familiar. Someone you know and love could soon be offended by something you’re about to say, quite off the cuff, in an entirely playful way — something that comes out sounding like you think it’s a lot less serious than you really do. Easy, there. Don’t hurt a friend inadvertently. They’ll undoubtedly forgive you, but why risk it? Think, just for a second, about how you’d feel if the tables were turned.

Think like a surfer when it comes to the turbulent ocean of dating. Ride the wave rather than swim against the current. The more you try to fight the inevitable ebb and flow of relationships, the less you’ll enjoy yourself. Go with the flow.

Sometimes even the best plans don’t turn out the way you want. Don’t let a minor upset ruin your day. Just adapt and do the best you can. You can commiserate over dinner with your partner. They’ll cheer you up.

Feeling lucky is valuable in and of itself. You may be going down with the ship, but at least you’re confident you’ll get a spot on the life raft. That beats sheer panic any day.