Bouncing Back                                                                                   July 2010

I've been getting a lot of questions and emails from people lately asking me about how to get through tough times and stay motivated. I can assure you that I am no expert on staying positive, but what I have figured out is how to SURVIVE in turbulent / challenging / disappointing times. I am surprised and humbled to be perceived as having any kind of wisdom, but there is no secret or magic formula involved - merely what I know from my own meandering experience...

So, from my 39 years on the planet so far, here is what I know for sure:

1. Things never go according to plan.
Life can change in an instant.

2. The only way to 'stay in the game' is to have faith that everything you go through is part of your higher purpose, and your job is to learn from everything and become more because of it. Often, learning what doesn't work can be as valuable as learning what does work! You just have to look for the lesson - it's always there.

3. Work on the things you can change, and make peace with the things you can't.

4. Take one day at a time. It's easy to become overwhelmed if you look at the totality of all the things that aren't going well / things that suck / things that are frustrating - ie. not where you want them to be. The joy you can feel and create comes from taking things one day, one moment, one interaction at a time - and that is enough.

5. Even if you're just hanging on by your fingernails, JUST HANG ON!

Every day is an opportunity to re-invent yourself. Whatever your circumstances are, whatever you have done, or whatever has happened to you doesn't have to define who you are.

Stuff happens. It isn't fair. But you can be better, or you can be bitter. You get to choose.

Wishing You Courage and Resiliency,