Here's an irony for you: When nothing is sure, everything is possible. I know that "everything" can encompass both good and bad outcomes. We can find a great job or spend another two frustrating months looking, see our relationship thrive or devolve into chaos, hit it big in the stock market or lose a boatload of money. Life is really what we make of it. The possibilities are there -- we need only seize them. But we make that impossible to do if: 1. We give up prematurely. Thomas Edison once said,"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work. This quote, too, is attributed to the famous inventor: "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were when they gave up." Indeed, some people draw so close to the promised land they can almost taste it -- only to wave the white flag. Perhaps they become dissuaded by a friend or relative, don't see the financial returns of a venture as quic...

Let's face it: There's no escaping hardship in life. Whether we're dealing with an impossible project at work or tackling financial issues at home, life has a way of throwing a money wrench at us when least expected. But this doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. Sure, we can feel lost and frustrated at first, but it's critical that we take the long view and realize we can emerge better -- stronger, wiser, more confident -- than before. And it starts with your mindset. If you can frame things differently in your mind, it goes a long way toward making it easier for you to surmount the challenge you face. Rather than meeting a challenge with trepidation, think of it as an exciting test of your will, drive, and mettle.  The former engenders feelings of fear and hopelessness. The latter approach fuels you with energy, motivation, and boldness. Sure, it isn't foolproof, but ask yourself these questions: If we didn't have challenges in li...

Sometimes we don't give ourselves enough credit for all we've accomplished up to this point. What's more, we lack confidence in our ability to achieve goals and meet future challenges. But this should not be the case. While venturing into the unknown can be daunting, you must never underestimate your capacity to weather change and hardship -- whether it be a layoff, an unexpected health condition, or a relationship setback. Sure, getting back on your feet might not happen overnight. But rest assured that if you press on -- not allowing anything or anyone to stop you -- you shall prevail. Indeed, life rewards us for our mettle and perseverance, for our refusal to throw in the towel when all hope seems lost. Even our darkest days aren't eternal. Eventually, the sun comes up again, and we rise stronger, wiser, and more resilient than ever before. You're more powerful than you realize. Do whatever it is you need to do to regain your footing, whether pr...

A real relationship is, plain and simple, one in which two imperfect people refuse to give up on one another. Let's face it: If one expects a flawless partner -- let alone a perfect relationship -- they're sure to have a rude awakening. If there's one thing we can all attest to, it's that relationships have their ups and downs. Sometimes partners will do things to test each other's patience and loyalty. Some may come to the brink of calling it quits. But if two people genuinely love each other, they'll do all they can to find common ground. They won't always agree on the best way to tackle a problem, but they'll each make some concessions so that each party feels as though their voice is being heard. A relationship will undoubtedly falter if both people are always out to get the upper hand. Relationships are about navigating challenges together so you can grow stronger together. But seeking to prove the other wrong or catch him or her red...

Certain people just aren't worth stressing about. I speak of those who are impossible to please. The ones who always have something to complain about. The type who seem disenchanted all the time, their primary goal being to have that misery rub off on us. No, thanks. We don't need such people in our lives. The more we can steer clear of them, the more peace of mind and less negativity we will have in our lives. Unfortunately, however, sometimes we have no choice but to stomach them as best as we can. Perhaps you work with a toxic boss or co-worker, but you don't feel now is the time to switch jobs. Or, your meddling in-laws are really testing your patience, but you don't want to say anything to land in hot water with them. That we will come across people we don't get along with is a certainty in life. But as I've said before, life is more about how you react to situations than the situations themselves. It's about how you adapt to circumstances...

One of my all-time favorite quotes comes from, not surprisingly, one of my all-time movies, Batman Begins.  A young Bruce Wayne (Batman's alter ego) is asked by his father, Thomas, why we fall. Thomas goes on to answer "so we can learn to pick ourselves up." It's such a simple statement, and yet so deep. I think all of us will agree with it. If we never failed, we'd never strive to improve ourselves. If we never faltered, we'd never have any reason to grow. Life, as a result, would seem mundane -- empty, even. Nothing feels sweeter than achieving a goal after investing a lot of sweat and tears -- and failing repeatedly -- in something. Obviously, this in no way means failing deliberately or as a result of reckless, ill-conceived decisions. I'm talking about exhausting all your savings just so you can get your fledgling business off the ground. I'm talking about studying your tail off until you turn your "F" in engineering clas...

Whether you're striving to fulfill a long-held dream or resolve a vexing problem, I'm here to tell you one thing: you can do it. There's really no way around it. You have no choice but to believe you're capable of doing it; otherwise, you won't get very far. Yankees great Yogi Berra once quipped, "It ain't over till it's over." What that means is that until you've thrown in the proverbial towel -- until you've given up -- you have a fighting chance at success. Instead of sitting around and serving up excuses for why you can't do something, try a different approach. With every unsuccessful attempt we gain more wisdom and experience, making us a bit more likely to triumph next time. Positive thinking attracts positive outcomes. However, success doesn't come without hard work, persistence, and sacrifice. It usually requires a serious investment of some resource -- whether time or money -- that we may not always be inclined to...

It's only January 4, but you'd be surprised how quickly some people break their New Year's resolution(s). I've resolved to accomplish two things from the get-go: (1) Lose weight, and (2) Read every single day. So far, I've done just that, losing a pound within the last two days while reading at least five pages daily. After the novelty of the New Year has worn off, it can be all too tempting to crawl back into our comfort zone. But we must resist the urge to revert to our old ways, whether it be snacking at all hours of the day or always putting exercise on the back burner. The New Year provides the opportunity to start anew -- physically, mentally and emotionally -- and that means pressing the "reset" button rather than the "rewind" button. A person can begin working toward their goals any day of the year -- whether January 1, April 20, or September 30. But somehow, the start of the year gives one the feeling of starting with a clean...

Ever heard the song "Don't Stop Believin''' by Journey? It's the kind of song we ought to hear whenever we doubt ourselves, which, for some of us, happens all too often. But the fact of the matter is that we have no choice but to believe in ourselves -- because no one else is going to do it for us. A lack of self-confidence impairs our ability to land dates, get jobs, build relationships, and -- most important -- enjoy life. Doubting ourselves can lead to low self-esteem, which can in turn snowball into depression and other more serious health outcomes. Once it becomes apparent that many of the excuses you concoct for not succeeding are in your head, you come to realize that you've been holding yourself back for no reason at all. Maybe your parents or peers told you that you couldn't achieve something and brainwashed you against yourself. But how would they know what you're capable of if they're not you? A person can achieve anyt...

Albert Einstein (1879-1955), arguably the most influential scientist ever to have lived, once said: "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." I agree with this quote 100 percent. No matter what goals we may work toward, life throws curveballs our way that can quickly stop us in our tracks. Whether we're aiming to find a partner, land a new job, or lose weight, we can become easily discouraged and give up. As I have noted in earlier posts, life isn't so much what happens to us as what we do with what happens to us. In other words, if we fail in our first few attempts, do we have reason to lose hope and just accept that we can't do it? Absolutely not! If a person wants something enough -- if he truly puts his heart and soul into it -- sooner or later, he will catch a break. This brings me two famous quotes from the 3rd President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826): "Why is it that the harder I try,...