The night is young. You can’t wait until you meet up with your friends. On you’re way out the door, you realize you don’t have your keys. You look extensively and you can’t find them!

All of us have had this experience at one time or another. Whether we’re going out with our friends, on our way to work, or about to embark on a vacation, the best way to describe losing your keys is a ‘nuisance’.

When this happens, several emotions can kick in to high gear, depending on the circumstance. Frustration if we’re ready to go to Disney World. Anxiety if it’s delaying our trek to work. The list goes on. Although we may think this is the natural way to feel, it can also cause us to begin thinking irrationally. Before resolving this challenge, make sure to calmly collect your thoughts and keep the negative ones at bay.

The first thing to do is look in all the obvious locations. Look on your dresser, kitchen counter, etc. Usually we get so wrapped up with the events in our lives, that we go through our daily actions without thinking about it. Try remembering the time you brushed your teeth after breakfast three days ago, and you’ll see what I mean.

So the usual places haven’t produced any results. Think back to the last time you used your keys. I realize that a lot of time may have passed since then; if that’s the case, use the power of deductive reasoning to think of times that you used your keys. For instance, you probably couldn’t have entered your residence without them, so you know they have to be somewhere nearby. Do you have a safe? A lock? A diary? Go to anyplace in your residence that has a lock. Chances are that you may have used them at one of these places.

If the search still continues, check your person. Are you wearing the same clothes you’ve been wearing all day? If you’ve changed your pants or are wearing a different jacket, then your keys may be there. Perhaps you watched television, and the keys fell into one of the cracks of your sofa. Sat on the balcony/patio and their on a table. If you had a friend come over, call them and ask if they know where it may be. They may remember seeing you place it somewhere.

Eventually you will find them, and they’ll be in the most obvious place. In order to avoid the same situation in the future, designate a place that you will always place your keys whenever you come home. This same principle should be applied to any object that is of worth (wallet, cell phone, etc.). Above all, keep a cool head on your shoulder, knowing that nothing is truly lost until you stop looking.