Your thoughts, positive or negative, trigger certain emotions.  Sometimes you may not understand why you're experiencing a certain feeling -- be it rage, regret, or optimism -- until you do a little mental gymnastics. Ask yourself this question: What specific thoughts crossed my mind to spark these feelings? Maybe it was thinking about your boss dropping a project on you at the last minute. Perhaps a commercial ran that you remembered first aired five years ago while you were having a terrible fight with your ex-spouse about his drinking habit, which ultimately derailed the marriage. Maybe your friend's putting in a good word at work for the new sales manager position you've been eying elevated your mood. Sometimes the most seemingly inconsequential event can stir up a range of emotions. I, for example, often find myself feeling a bit glum on cloudy days. Yet, you can probably relate to feeling rather ecstatic at the thought of Friday being just a few hours away.  Whether i...

Do you typically ruminate about the most unfortunate scenario even though it could very well go the opposite way? Rather than picturing and stressing over the worst possible outcome, why not imagine things turning out favorably for you? Sure, it doesn't mean they will. And it doesn't mean we should be oblivious to the consequences of our actions or the potential downsides in any given situation. But pessimism will only work against you, as those negative thoughts that invade the mind will try to convince you that you won't succeed -- that you won't overcome the hurdles life puts on your path. Never give in to negative thinking! You might harp on the negative because deep down you sense that if you're too optimistic, you might very well get blindsided -- and let down -- by setbacks. But here's the thing: You can be pragmatic -- mindful of the pros and cons, the pluses and the minuses -- without allowing negativity to overtake you. In other words, ...

Have you noticed how we come to value a moment or experience more fondly in hindsight than we do when we're actually experiencing it? In fact, sometimes we may experience an event we find unpleasant at the moment, only to realize later -- perhaps when comparing it to other situations occurring before or after -- that it wasn't all that bad? This can happen for two reasons: 1. We take the present moment for granted. Perhaps because we're too busy dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, we fail to appreciate and live in the moment. Study after study shows that we're happiest when we're focused on the present. 2. We look back on the past through rose-colored glasses.  Perhaps the experience really wasn't as titillating as our memories of it might lead us to think. That's because, when reminiscing about the past, human beings have a tendency to filter out the bad stuff, leaving only the Kodak moments we tend to capture in pictures. Never...

Stop for a moment and pay careful attention to the words that follow, for they could change your life in a big way: You are a wonderful person -- one unlike any other on the face of the earth. You light up the world with a unique blend of talents, skills, and quirks. You've achieved great things and have so many more feats awaiting you. Others look up to and admire you. You inspire greatness in others and radiate optimism. You have every reason to love yourself for who you are.  Inevitably, some people will envy you. Some will try to tear you down. Some will spread lies about you in an effort to get you to share in their misery. But you don't have time for such naysayers. You embrace your uniqueness and love yourself to the fullest, not allowing anyone else to cramp your style or dampen your high spirits. You recognize that no one knows you better than you know yourself. No one else pays your bills or is there for you every single second of your life. You're your ...

Life is inevitably short. That's why we should aim to derive as much happiness from it as we can! Hug a little tighter. Smile a little longer. Enjoy that cup of coffee to the last drop. Delight your palate with delectable foods. Let the warm sunshine melt your worries away. Allow the cool breeze to lull you to sleep.  Take pleasure in the simple things in life. Don't get caught up in the acquisition of material goods. The sheer elation of owning a new product is only ephemeral.  Instead, focus on experiences. Whether it's traveling to Poland or enjoying a relaxing jaunt or picnic with your partner at the park across the street, experiences at least leave us with deep, abiding memories. Quit telling yourself that you'll do these things sometime in the future. Stop putting off for tomorrow what you can be doing today.  There comes a point where we need a change of pace or scenery -- a break from the daily humdrum. It's not merely a matter of getti...

I've had a few of my readers tell me that they've hit a rough patch of late, so I thought it apropos to write an uplifting post this morning to get everyone's weekend off to a magnificent start. There's no question that life is hard and often unfair. Bad things happen to good people all the time. We're confronted with tough situations we never saw coming, and sometimes such challenges seem insurmountable. But I'm here to tell you that every storm passes. As long as you stay strong and keep hope alive, you will get through it. The only thing in life that has no remedy is death. If the problems you're facing are not life-and-death, you can -- you will -- overcome them. Whether you recently got out of a bad relationship, unexpectedly lost your job, or are not on speaking terms with a longtime friend, one day you'll look back on it all and say, "I didn't see it back then, but things really did turn out for the best." Human beings have...

To help you start the month off on the right foot, I wanted to share with you a quote from Doe Zantamata. This one is worth hanging on your wall or pasting on your nightstand so it's the first thing you look at when you wake up: "Every morning starts a new page in your story. Make it a great one today." Many people I come across spend days harping on the same issues rather than seeing each day as an opportunity to start   anew -- as a chance to resolve yesterday's issues rather than let them fester. You wouldn't want to reserve so pages in your story for things of a negative nature, would you? We should view each day as an opportunity to conquer our challenges once and for all. Each day brings the promise of growth, happiness, success. Optimism is the essential ingredient to making this happen. You have to believe wholeheartedly that things really can and will get better. Let faith and perseverance be your guide, your anchor. Instead of wondering w...

In this post, I'd like to share what I find are the three ingredients to a joyful, satisfying life. I call them the 3 Ls: live, laugh, love . The fact they all begin with the same letter surely makes them easier to remember. 1. Live : It's fine to be cautious and prudent, but we needn't live so austerely as to inhibit ourselves from enjoying life. In other words, we should strive to  live our lives, but in responsible ways . The trick is to achieve a sensible middle ground. Running up credit card debit and drinking while driving don't constitute living  life to the fullest. They're examples of reckless behavior that can get you in heaps of trouble, if not endanger your life. Instead, we should make the most of our lives by soaking up memorable experiences. Travel the world (without overextending yourself financially, of course). Hit up new restaurants close to home and far away. Try your hand at skydiving, scuba diving, and other exciting activities you never th...

Happy June, all! It's hard to believe we've reached the halfway point of the year. Six months are in the books, with just as many to go before we bid adieu to 2016. Doesn't it feel as though we were celebrating the holidays just yesterday? A new month marks an opportunity to move on from the problems and challenges of yesterday and look forward to better, more joyful days. May was a tough month for my wife and I. Not only did my father-in-law pass away, but I battled a pesky infection and fever in the closing days of the month. Thankfully, though, our strength, faith, and support from loved ones got us through it. The arrival of a new month allows us to press the proverbial reset button and start fresh. It gives us the ability to approach goals -- ones that may have seemed impossible to achieve last week -- with a sense of renewed optimism. It's like cleansing or purging ourselves of festering negativity and doubt. Whether you're aiming to lose weight, g...