We all have stories from our past that shape our future. Some are heartbreaking and sad. Others are wonderful and enriching. Maybe you lost a loved one too early. Maybe your heart was broken over and over. Nobody is immune to life’s challenges and curve balls. My mother passed away at the very young age of 56, and it would have been easy to harden up and assume the worst in life. That was not how I dealt with difficulties though, nor would my mother have wanted that to happen.

So we have all had lousy days, right? Maybe you woke up on the wrong side of the bed or everyone at work was dumping extra tasks on you, or a spouse was constantly pointing out your faults. Whatever the situation, and we all have them, there are ways to turn the day and your mood around.

I wanted to start by saying ‘thank you’ to everyone who participated in my survey last week. The top two challenges you are all facing are career and money. This does not surprise me. Many of you are stuck in careers you dislike or are out of work and having a difficult time finding something in alignment with what makes you happy. Forty-eight percent of you struggle financially and would love to be out of debt.

You have a secure job, a comfortable relationship, nice friends, a warm home, yet you are unhappy. So many of us stay where we are in life due to comfort and security. You assume you can’t do better so why try. You figure you shouldn’t be too picky in love, and that you are only getting older. Why do people settle for less than they deserve?