Who do you know who seems to live wisely, with few regrettable decisions? Even if you aren't sure that you want to hear what they might say, ask them for advice on a difficult decision that you are facing.

Everybody has memories-some might bring joy and delight, while others may be heavy, hard, and full of hurt. Sometimes, we need help figuring out what to do with memories like that. Don't be afraid to ask for help from a friend, a mentor, a safe adult, or a professional like a doctor, therapist, or counselor.

You've heard it said, "One step forward and two steps back." Sometimes life can be like that, can't it? Perhaps it is time for you to REVERSE IT! Keep working on it (and work through that discouragement) until you take one step back but two steps forward.

Do you have a dream? Great! Pursue it with passion, reflection, endurance, and humility and know it's okay for that dream to change over time.

Are you carrying a regret, or two, or 10,000, from your past? You are not alone! Spend some time reflecting on those regrets. Do you need to make amends? A relationship repair? Forgive someone? Forgive yourself? Are you feeling guilty about something that isn't really your responsibility at all? For as much as it depends on you, make peace with others and yourself and do better, now that you know better.

When everything around you seems to make no sense, return to what you know to be true. Anchors of truth help us navigate seasons of uncertainty.

Plan for success, work hard, and be grateful for it. If you fail, it is not the end of the world. Life is a mixture of success and failure. Being content no matter how things turn out is a huge success in and of itself.

You have more potential than you might imagine. Be willing to tap into your strengths and abilities. Please don't hesitate to ask a teacher, mentor, or friend what positive qualities they see in you. Truly, the sky is the limit when you believe you have unique skills for an essential purpose.

If you have convinced yourself that you are stuck with a negative outlook because that's "just how you are," then think again. Even if it takes a year to change a bad habit, one day it will become second nature!

Reevaluating and resetting your goals isn't a failure if things aren't working or your desires change. Reevaluation is a necessary discipline in your life journey. The humility needed to make changes will always serve you well.

Hoping for and looking for the best-case outcome is a good way to live. Make a habit of being quick to RESET YOUR HOPE. In other words, refuse to let go of an attitude of hopefulness to push away nagging negativity and doubt.

Picture a future time in your life. By being both, a little realistic and a little dreamy, paint a picture in your mind of where (and who!) you'd like to be. Hold that thought, and don't be afraid to let it become frequent in your regular thought patterns!

Even if you have never surfed, you've probably seen it. The twists, turns, cuts, and flips surfers can pull off are utterly amazing. It takes skill to surf because waves and their directions are unpredictable. In life, pushing, kicking, and screaming will never make the "breaks in life" go in the direction you insist. THEREFORE, a powerful visualization is to learn to "surf life."
See the direction in which the waves of circumstance are breaking.
Go with the breaks.
Stay ahead of the danger zones.
Don't forget to have some fun along the way!

Take a few minutes to picture several years - even many - down the road. How would you like to feel about these areas of life as you look back

• Did the challenges/roadblocks of life make you stronger and more persistent OR angrier and more impatient?
• Has your DAY-TO-DAY attitude reached "a higher altitude," OR did you slip into a "same old, same old" indifference?
• Did you learn, and then improve, in your people relationships, allowing yourself to become more appreciative and caring, OR did you let what negative people said about you to change how you see yourself and treat others?

Decide today to choose success in these three vital parts of your life!

Do you have some inner idea of where you hope life might take you? Now is a good day (or week or month) to verbalize or write down words, phrases, or an outline to conceptualize your dreams.

Remind yourself that whatever you are feeling right now will not last. Feelings are temporary, no matter how terrible. Think about it this way: If you can imagine a difficult outcome, you can also imagine a much more positive outcome!

Here's an idea that will brighten your week and, eventually, your life: Record your voice talking to "the future you." Speak aloud your hopes for the future in these areas:
✔ How you talk to yourself
✔ Intellectual and emotional strength
✔ Your health and physical state
Now, listen to what you recorded. Believe it! Make a plan to listen to it again in the future. Start the journey to the future you.

Discover one thing new about yourself and/or your interests. Don't allow an unchanging life to lull you into an uncaring, disinterested attitude. A key component in making life more enjoyable is consciously refusing to let the mundane days lead you into a helpless, mundane life.

Whether you are feeling upbeat or a little down, an unhurried walk can do wonders for you. Look around for something that can be uplifting. Allow each step to take you mentally and emotionally further away from what's weighing you down. Shift your mind out of overdrive. Some of your best ideas or solutions come from a relaxed mind.

No, you can't change what other people are experiencing, saying, or doing, but you can change how you see the actions of others. It helps to reframe your circumstances in light of what's really important in life. When you do that, you may discover things are not as bad as you thought.

The internet lies. People lie. Politicians lie. Society believes the lies it tells itself. Don't go there! Patiently and persistently seek the guidance and truth available each new day. The search will lead you down a path of life that is TRULY BETTER FOR YOU.

Think of something in your life that is blocking your joy, peace, or contentment. Take some big, deep breaths. As you exhale, breathe out that negative thing and inhale something positive to take its place. You might exhale insecurity and inhale confidence.

When we focus on everything that we must do, it can feel overwhelming and impossible to get started. Got a minute? Think of one thing that you must do. Now, force yourself into motion. Start on that ONE thing. You just made your self-esteem and your day a little better.

You don't have to finish your entire to-do list today. Some responsibilities can and should wait until tomorrow. Find a balance. Many times, one or two small accomplishments today will make tomorrow a noticeably better day.

If your life seems stuck in "going nowhere fast" mode, start moving in a worthwhile direction. Trust the process. You are working toward something good. Remind yourself what that good thing might be-a grade, a win, a relationship, a future goal. Don't resist the boring. It serves an extraordinary purpose!

Are you one of the best procrastinators you know? Wanting to want to get started on something is a baby step. Go Further! Take that next complete step and get going. You will feel better about yourself when you do!

Do you have so much to do that you can't find the motivation to "begin to begin"? Break it down into smaller pieces and do a few of those pieces at a time. Or, set a timer and work on that task for 15 minutes. You can do anything for 15 minutes!

Reevaluating and resetting your goals isn't a failure if things aren't working or your desires change. Reevaluation is a necessary discipline in your life journey. The humility needed to make changes will always serve you well.

For the next month, let's try a simple experiment to improve your outlook. Commit to taking 10% better care of yourself! This could mean getting a little more rest, carving out some extra self-care time, or pushing on 10% further before you even think of giving up. Increase your laughter, smile time, and joy sightings. In theory, you will notice more than a 10% difference in your outlook on life. Was the experiment a success? Theory proven! Do it again next month!

Some problems and perplexities need to be addressed week after week. These can be overwhelming, can't they? This might help: Instead of feeling buried by thoughts of "I don't see how I can solve this," expand your thinking in a different direction by calming yourself and asking: "What resources are or might be at my disposal to help me at least head toward a solution in this obstacle?"

Does your way of looking at life need to change in a more positive, constructive direction? First, own up to that need. Then, be patient and push yourself at the same time. Next, ask for help and accountability to make that direction change. Finally, don't fear the unknown, and enjoy the journey!

Becoming a more organized person can be a challenge for most of us. If you are a naturally organized person, it can be just as challenging to free up quality time to do a good deed for someone else. The starting point for either type of person is setting aside time weekly to declutter your physical and brain space to make breathing room so you can genuinely focus a little more on others.

One day at a time. One problem at a time. One task at a time. Even if you are a multi-tasker, there is something dynamic about seeing one project or responsibility to completion. What obligations are you facing this week? Perhaps too many. However, completing the next thing can bring mental or emotional relief.

Set aside time for you. Don't hide behind "I'm too busy." Allow yourself time to mentally/emotionally soar by:

• Recharging your inner batteries
• Planning and dreaming
• Letting go of hurts and disappointments
• Talking positive to yourself - even if that doesn't come naturally.

Look for a good or even "ok" reason to enjoy the next 10 minutes. Take a deep breath and take the time to make wise decisions. In other words, don't back down from staying determined to live life at your pace

Now might be a good time for a six-month check-up, a mental/emotional evaluation. To keep it simple, try this:
What is one area in which I know I can and will do better in my attitude and actions?
What is one area of how I think, act, react, and put into action that I'm progressing in?
What's one part of my life, even if it is not a very big part, in which I'm doing well enough that I am going to celebrate? Push away those "I'm not worthy of celebrating" negative thoughts. All positive work deserves pride!

Tomorrow is a brand new day. While very few days in life are perfect, why not resolve not to let the downer moments spoil the entire day? Set one small but positive and doable goal for yourself, and go for it!

Finding something to appreciate every day is easier and cheaper than you might think. Being in tune with the little things in life will bring you a surprising amount of happiness. Make it a lifelong goal to search for one big or small thing to appreciate every day.

The next time it feels like nothing is going right for you, take a few minutes to look around. Usually, it takes little time to identify someone with even less things going right than you. Let that truth give you a more balanced outlook on life. You get to feel how you feel, regardless of what others are experiencing, but sometimes it helps reframe our circumstances. Things might be better than we think they are.

Don't get down on yourself for too long. If you flubbed up big-time, make a big-time commitment to avoid a repeat. When we continue to make the same mistake over and over again, we're not making mistakes; we're making choices.

You've learned that 1+1+1=3 and 3 x 2=6. Basic, right? Here's something else that's basic but can be life-changing, too. Your positive thoughts add up. Make it a weekly goal to think enough of them, and they will multiply, even to the point of changing your entire outlook on life!

Do you often feel stuck in neutral or like you're slowly rolling backward? Chances are your negative self-talk is getting to you more than you realize. Here is a starter plan:

• Say to the negativity, "I've had enough."
• Now, work at re-learning how to talk to yourself with greater hope and vision for your future.
• Next, picture yourself moving the shifter out of neutral and into a positive, forward gear.
• Now that you are moving forward, think of yourself as a problem solver, not a problem-accumulator!

Think of three small goals that would do your heart good to accomplish. It could be anything from a good deed to making a healthy choice for your body to complimenting yourself (or a friend) in an area you wouldn't usually think important enough to compliment. Before the end of the week, achieve those three small goals; keep going because little positives lead to bigger positives, which lead to a more positive way of life.

Did you know that reading DJ says, and other encouraging books or stories can make your brain healthier? It's true. Positivity and vision will stimulate your brain to be more active. More positive. More attuned to problem-solving and your life's purpose.

Find one thing that you do well and get better even at it. Let that be satisfying to you because when you sense satisfaction, you are at the start of experiencing genuine success.