A New Year means fresh possibilities -- the chance to press that reset button and start anew. An opportunity to leave all the grudges, drama, and negativity that beleaguered you in 2019 behind. The chance to look forward to pursuing goals (new or existing) with renewed vigor. It isn't just about losing weight, getting a better job, or finding true love. It's about becoming a better individual all-around. It's about leveraging what you've learned up until this point through your mistakes and experiences so you can continually become a better, smarter, wiser version of yourself. While we can set out to adopt this mindset any time of the year -- no one says it has to be January 1 -- most of us see that date as a convenient jumping off point for starting with a clean slate. Whatever your preference, one thing is for sure: It's never too late to effect change in your life that will put you closer to fulfilling your dreams. Life is what you make of it. If yo...

It's time to let go of the past and embrace all that awaits you. You can't start the next chapter of your life if you persist in reading the last one. Take the lessons you learned with you, yes, but don't allow your past to prevent you from soaring to new heights. Think of life as a game of football. The clock is ticking. You don't have time focus on the mistakes you made in the second quarter that cost you the lead. So long as you believe in yourself -- and mentally remain in the present moment -- you can persevere. Don't let painful reminders of yesterday get in the way of creating precious memories for tomorrow. Take a deep breath, relax, and tell yourself that you deserve to be happy! Whether your past includes a divorce, a failed business venture, or a series of mistakes you're having trouble shaking off, redirect your thoughts toward the present. While you can't change the past, your present is really what you make of it. Want to fi...

Remember "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey? What an inspiring song. There's no question that we should never cease believing in ourselves. If you don't believe in yourself, you won't make it very far in a world that constantly throws obstacles our way. Life is difficult -- and it demands that we remain strong and persistent in the face of tough challenges. Beyond that, no one should stop dreaming, or reaching for new heights. What good is believing in yourself if you have no dreams to shoot for? Aspiring to bigger and better things -- whether it be parenthood, owning a business, or buying a home -- gives us another reason to wake up in the morning. It gives us something to look forward to. I frequently hear others say their lives are dull, prompting them to reminisce about "bygone days." I'm here to tell you that your best days are not behind you; they lie on the horizon. However, you have to do your part to make that come to ...

Bob Marley once said, "You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have." Indeed, we don't know how strong-willed and determined we can be until our resolve is actually put to the test -- that is, until we face serious challenges that can cause us to doubt our ability to surmount them. Many of us are thrust -- in many cases, unexpectedly -- into very tough situations that force us to summon every bit of strength we can muster, like losing a loved one, getting laid off, or being cheated on. The fact that gradually we are able to get through these hard times and move on with our lives attests to the tenacity of the human spirit. Time really does heal. And just because you may not be as strong as your peers doesn't mean you're weak. Some of us have simply gone through more adversity in life, and those experiences have better prepared us for similar predicaments that may surface later on. What's more, some people are mor...

When you can't control what's happening in your life, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what's happening. That's where your power truly lies. As I've stressed in other posts, life is less about what happens to you than what you do with what happens to you. Approach the problem with as much faith and positivity as you can possibly muster. Try to arrive at ways to tackle the problem piecemeal; taking small steps is more effective than doing things on a whim. Breathe slowly and remain patient. Recognize that Rome wasn't built in a day -- it might take some time for things to turn in your favor. Whatever it is you're going through, resist the temptation to blame yourself. There's no use beating yourself up over things you can't control. "Buts" and "could haves" will get you no closer to resolving the issue. Be forward-looking. Work toward achieving the outcome you want. Focus on the future and how great ...

If you're having a bad day, keep your head up -- things will improve! Sometimes a problem can fester for so long that it can feel like it will last forever. But it won't.  Sooner or later, things will fall into place, and a sense of normalcy will be restored in your life. All you have to is remain positive. Believe with every fiber of your being that things will turn around -- and they will! Believe you're smart, strong, and capable of overcoming any obstacle life throws your way, and you will. Don't let your problems put a damper on your mood. You'll be feeling happy again before you know it! Just because you hit rough times doesn't mean you throw in the towel.  You will persevere. You will prevail. You will get through this. What's more, you will emerge stronger than ever from this. It's merely a bump in the road on the way to achieving wonderful things. Don't give up. Stay focused on what you want to achiev...

We don't always get back what we put into things in our lives -- our jobs, our friendships, our relationships -- at least not immediately. When it becomes apparent that someone no longer fits in your life, it's best to let them go. It can be hard to come to terms with the fact that someone who thought you'd spend the rest of your life with didn't turn out to be the person you envisaged. The same goes for an individual you thought you'd be lifelong friends with. Whether you or the other party is to blame for a faltering relationship, sometimes trying to make it work only results in deeper resentment. It is very difficult to part with something we've invested a lot of time and energy into -- something we assumed would last indefinitely. This can also be applied to jobs. Many of us have grand plans of staying in the same company for many years, if not our entire working lives. However, quarrels with our bosses or coworkers, unfulfilling/unchallenging ...

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...

I equate a lack of self-confidence with not trusting one's abilities. One of the best quotes I've ever heard in a movie was featured in the 2005 film "Coach Carter," starring Samuel L. Jackson: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us." In case you haven't seen the movie, Samuel L. Jackson plays a high school basketball coach whose hired to reverse the team's dismal fortunes. When it turns out that most of the players are flunking their classes, Jackson's character imposes a lockout until the players demonstrate academic improvement. Against all odds, the players succeed, and the team goes on to win a championship. I'll be the first to admit that I don't trust my ability to do certain things. I've always been something of a bungling handyman, in part because my father, who's known to be great with ...

Do what is right for you . No one else is walking in your shoes. No one knows you -- your fears, your passions, your goals -- better than you do. Never let anyone chart your path for you, for only you know the ultimate road to fulfillment in your life. Never let anyone convince you that whatever you wish to pursue isn't right for you -- only you have the final say in that. Never let anyone dissuade you from attempting to accomplish even the loftiest of goals. If your heart and mind are in the right place, you can achieve anything. Your parents' or friends' experiences won't necessarily be your own. Just because they failed at something doesn't mean you will. Perhaps they lack your will to persevere in the face of long odds. Sometimes people secretly want you to fail; never, ever give them that satisfaction. There's no greater feeling in the world than proving someone who said you couldn't achieve something wrong . Only you have the right to say you ca...

Here's an outstanding quote from Eleanor Roosevelt to get your week off on the right foot: "With the new day comes strength and new thoughts." - Eleanor Roosevelt  As I noted in an earlier post, each new day is like pressing the reset button. It presents an opportunity to rid yourself of the negativity of yesterday and fill your mind with positive thoughts as you look ahead to the future. You survived another day. Whatever it is you're going through didn't kill you. That can only mean one thing: you've emerged stronger. The will to persevere is more powerful than many of us realize. Just when we think we've reached the end of our rope, we find the strength to tie a knot and hang on. But this can only be possible through the power of positive thinking. You have to believe wholeheartedly that things can and will get better, and you have to do your part to facilitate that -- from reaching out to friends and family for support to smiling and find...

When you ask people which qualities they deem critical to success -- whether it's at work or in the realm of relationships -- most fail to mention a crucial trait: drive.  You can be the hardest working person in the world, but without the drive to see through an arduous task or experience, you will not prevail. You won't get very far by doing things in fits and starts. Success can only be attained when one has the drive, or will, to throw themselves into something wholeheartedly and never give up until their goal is achieved. I know I'm capable of great things -- like becoming the CEO of my company or earning a Ph.D. If I don't have the drive to achieve those things, however, all the potential in the world means little. Not only should I be passionate  about achieving the goal, but I must believe that the goal, however challenging, can be achieved . I must envision myself enjoying the sweet smell of success. And that's where being positive and believing in...