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...

Stop what you're doing for a moment. Take a deep breath. Put a smile on your face. Tell yourself these words: "It's going to be okay." You've come too far in your life to give up. Whether you're healing from wounds of your past or stressing over the question marks in your future, remind yourself that true happiness lies in making the most of the present. Things will get better over time. If you're mired in relationship, health, or money struggles, rest assured that the worst storms often give way to much sunnier days. Never feel afraid to reach out -- whether to friends, family, a professional (or even to me) for a helping hand. I know that sometimes being positive is easier said than done. Just when we think we've come out of a hole, life seems to put us into a deeper one. But resigning ourselves to the opposite state of mind -- negativity -- will only serve to exacerbate the depression or anxiety we're already feeling. As long a...

Whether you desire a career in journalism, a trip to China, or a relationship with a wonderful man, your dreams are never out of reach. As long as you work hard and never cease believing in yourself, you can achieve anything you aspire to. Rest assured, on the road to success, you will experience setbacks along the way that'll test your mettle. The key is never allowing such challenges to faze you. When you want something badly enough, nothing or no one can get in your way. Unfortunately, our own negative thinking is often the single biggest obstacle we're up against. For example, you might feel tempted to throw in the towel because: You're hard up on cash. You've applied for several promising jobs and seem to fall short each time. You've had bad luck with a string of recent dates, convincing you that you'll never find true love. Instead of calling it quits, why not use such struggles to drive you to work harder? Maybe you need to get somet...

Little do some of us know how powerful positive affirmations can be when it comes to breaking out of our depression and/or getting in a better mood. A moment ago, I came across a quote from George Washington that perfectly illustrates this point: "Happiness depends more upon the internal frame of a person's mind than on the externals in the world." Indeed, the mind exerts a much more powerful influence on our happiness than external factors -- from material possessions to others in our circle -- can. Telling yourself things like "everything's going to be okay," "you'll get through this," and "stay positive" puts you in a positive frame of mind rather than a negative one. When I've found myself down in the dumps, resorting to such positive affirmations has garnered me the strength to get up the next morning. And if you feel embarrassed that other people might hear you "talking to yourself," no one says you c...

The things we value most are those we have to work hard to obtain or achieve. If someone were to hand you a trophy with your name and "world's best swimmer" engraved on it when you couldn't swim to save your life, would it mean anything to you? Of course not. You didn't earn it, so it holds no value. If losing weight were as easy as waving a magic wand, do you think one would still feel the same sense of accomplishment as they would upon completing an intense weight-loss program? Not at all. It's one thing to get something done -- it's another to overcome an arduous challenge that tests our patience and mettle. There's a reason most people blow their diets and New Year's resolutions and fail to get through law school and Ph.D. programs. When the going gets tough, many people buckle under the pressure and give up. That's precisely why reaching the finish line can be so gratifying. If something comes too easy, though, we tend not to a...