When I was in the fifth grade, I had the world’s coolest teacher. I put my best effort into all my schoolwork simply because I wanted to impress him. You see, he had a few “favorites” in the class, and I was determined to be part of that group.

Many years later, in the working world, I found myself in a similar situation—this time as both the “favorite” and the favorer (a.k.a. the boss). And now, after over 14 years in the workplace, I’m convinced that every boss has her favorite, and at some point, every employee will (hopefully) hold that title.

But while that may seem like a good thing, my fifth grade experience reminds me that not everyone will be as thrilled as you when your manager starts giving you special treatment.

Work, like life, is bound to have its ups and downs. Whether it’s a new manager who thinks hovering behind your chair is productive, a round of lay-offs that wipes out half your work friends, or yet another spate of cost-cutting austerity measures—the atmosphere in your office can sometimes quickly go from manageable to miserable.

The wage gap women face today is no laughing matter. It’s been nearly 50 years since the passage of the Equal Pay Act, and women still earn significantly less than their male counterparts for doing the same work. That difference will add up to quite a bit over their careers—and it has to stop. But today, we figured you might need a little extra plain, old-fashioned encouragement. So, to help kick off Equal Pay Day, we’ve recruited the impossibly talented and persuasive Ryan Gosling to remind you why you deserve to be paid what you’re worth, and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it.