The next time you feel yourself getting upset in an airport, ask yourself, "Do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy?"

You can take mental control of uncontrollable situations by using your three senses:

• common sense
• sense of humor
• sense of adventure

It makes a lot more sense to use these senses than "!#**##**#!," if you want to be a stress-resistant happier airline passenger. So don't leave home without them.

Common Sense Rule #1: It's better to fix a mechanical problem on the ground than when the plane is in the air.

Common Sense Rule #2: It's a lot better to be down here wishing you were up there than up there wishing you were down here.

No matter which airline you fly, there is one thing of which you can be sure. You will, at one time or another, experience delays, cancellations and, yes, missed connections. The airlines even publish a listing each month of who is the "Queen of Delays." They know that not every plane will depart or arrive on time. It's part of the turf (or should I say tarmac?). For your most recent copy, look for the report in USA Today. They offer the report each month in the travel section of the paper.

So your flight is delayed, you missed your connection, and on top of that, your luggage is in Chicago and you are in Sheboygen. The more you resist what has happened, the more that upset persists in your mind and the more unhappy you become. Instead, accept what has happened. Then look for what's right about the situation rather than what is not, and move on.