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...

Having a bad day?  Maybe you're having problems in your relationship, trouble at work, or issues at home.  No matter what you're going through, take comfort in the fact that we've all been there. But you know what? You'll get through this -- just like you have before.  You're strong. You're brave. You're capable of achieving anything you set your mind to! These storms will eventually pass -- and they'll give way to brighter, happier days. You will be smiling and laughing again in no time, relieved that the worst is behind you and confident once more that wonderful possibilities lie on the horizon.  Whenever you feel the need, take a deep breath. Don't feel afraid to spend time alone with your thoughts. Sometimes finding the right solution -- and ultimately, peace of mind -- means disconnecting for a few moments from other people.  And don't give into the temptation to: Blame yourself Point the finger at others Har...

Yes, you've made mistakes. Yes, you have regrets. Yes, there are past decisions that you wish you could change. But what good does brooding over the past do? If you're not careful, you could sink into a deep depression that will be very difficult to claw out of. There's a reason the windshield is bigger than the rear view: Because what lies ahead is much better than where you've been! Turn those missteps into lessons. Leverage those blunders into life-changing growth.  Think of it this way: If we never fell, how would we ever learn to pick ourselves up again? Seize the opportunity to become stronger and wiser . So maybe you wish you had never met your cheating ex or chosen law as your profession. A broken heart or load of debt later, you might kick yourself for not having seen all the signs. But don't spend all your time lamenting your mistakes. Embrace them, and allow them to transform you.  You will find a good partner who remains loyal to you. Y...

As we get older, we realize that things don't always turn out the way we planned, or the way we think they should. For example, there may come a point where you concede that your bad back precludes you from becoming the rich professional basketball player you aspire to be. Or, it becomes clear that you won't be going on a date with the new office secretary you've been ogling for months after realizing she has a boyfriend. Additionally, we come to terms with the sobering reality that troublesome relationships cannot always be fixed. As much as we may try, they may never go back to being the way they were in the beginning. Our relationships with certain people may become frayed or fall apart completely. Sometimes it's one person's fault, or it may very well be that both people are to blame. Nonetheless, it can be difficult to see a relationship we envisioned lasting a lifetime go down the tubes. But we must all accept that people and circumstances change...

While life isn't perfect, it is definitely what we make of it . Stop for a second and think about what that really means. How do we really make the most of our lives? Simply put, we recognize that although things won't always go our way, we refuse to let bumps in the road stop us from reaching our ultimate destination: happiness. People will disappoint us (and often such people will include ourselves). Crappy days at work are a certainty. We may run into financial and health problems here and there. And we're likely to see a venture or two fall through (e.g., launching a new business doesn't work out). But life isn't about what happens to you. It's what you do with what happens to you. In other words, we may not be able to control unfolding events, but we can control how we respond to them. Do you allow setbacks to knock you off course? Or do you use them as catalysts for achieving your goals? Do you let one obnoxious person ruin your day? Or do ...

Irish novelist James Joyce once said, "Mistakes are portals of discovery." And if you stop and think about it, he was absolutely right. We wouldn't have learned some of our most valuable life lessons had we not messed up in the past. Those missteps actually enabled us to grow and acquire wisdom we can in turn pass on to our kids, friends, and other loved ones. Sure, we might be ashamed of our mistakes and wish we could have a few do-overs. But one important thing to remember is that no one is perfect. We all make them and have to deal with the consequences thereafter. Harping on our mistakes isn't healthy.  At some point, we must recognize -- and accept -- that the past is behind us, and there's nothing we can do to change it. Rather than carry our mistakes around with us, we should place them under our feet and use them as stepping stones to bettering ourselves. Whether we got into a car accident while driving around tipsy, took a wonderful partner ...

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...

It sure is. We all miss the butterflies in our stomach -- the sheer excitement of having someone new in our life. Maybe your partner did little things that filled you with immense joy, like deliver flowers to your job or leave love notes in your wallet. Once the relationship begins to mature, these things tend to happen less often. As you transition from happy couple to married couple to parents, it becomes less about passionate love and more about companionship. Going from seeing each other once or twice a week to living with one another changes the dynamics of a relationship tremendously. Whereas before you waited for your weekly date with bated breath, now you've fallen into a routine of seeing your partner every day. Sometimes I miss the early days in my relationship, when I looked forward to seeing my now-wife with great anticipation. Everything felt new and exciting. We were getting to know each other. Our future together seemed promising. Now that we've been ...

Many people have asked me this question concerning relationships:  "What if I give someone a chance, only to get hurt by them later on?" The fact of the matter is that getting hurt is always a real possibility in any relationship. We all enter into a relationship with high hopes. In the early stages, the other person might seem so incredible that you would think they fell from the sky. Gradually, though, one's true colors come out, and they may not always be to our liking. No one's perfect, though, and relationships are all about accepting and working through each other's differences.  It's when those differences become irreconcilable that the relationship is in trouble.  You never really know how a relationship will turn out. The high divorce rate in the U.S. alone can attest to that. Still, if we don't take a chance, we'll never really know what the relationship holds in store.  Even if it doesn't work out, th...

Forget about the past. Yes, you've made mistakes.  Yes, you've said and done things you wish you could take back. But that's water under the bridge now. You've learned from those experiences and are now wiser because of them. The only way to go is forward. Life is too short to spend it wondering what if you had done this, or what if you had done that. The bottom line is, you chose a path, and that path has led you to where you are at present. Having regrets serves no purpose other than to demoralize you. Don't let that happen! Take stock of your life and consider all the fantastic things you can do now and in the future. Taking memorable vacations with the family. Finally getting that degree you've been putting off. Learning a new language. There is so much for you to do. The future remains bright so long as you envision it that way. Don't let your past problems thwart you from realizing your life goals and dreams. When life tries to tempt you into...