Popular recording artist Billie Eilish has become a beacon to music lovers today for struggling with mental health issues.

“My message has always been to accept yourself no matter what, to love yourself, to embrace your flaws. And the more you talk about anxiety and depression, the less power it has over you.”

It’s the power of self-acceptance and open conversation when dealing with anxiety and depression.  The more you talk about your struggles — instead of hiding them — the less control they have over you.

Being ashamed of what you’re going through is useless. Talk about it. Own it. And in doing so, you’ll weaken its grip on you.

Feel free to share.

Author Amit Sood puts it like this:  “Do not postpone joy waiting for a day when life will be perfect and all your stressors will be gone”.

Our minds tend to push away joy and keep you logged off from life.

“I have never had a day when my boat was fully secure in the harbor, the water was a deep blue, the winds were quiet, and the sun was bright and shining in the sky.  Waiting for such a day would be a very long wait.  So, I need to admit the reality and find fulfillment in the present moment accepting all its imperfections”.

Worth sharing?

Life will test you — with setbacks, unexpected detours, and moments that feel like dead ends. But roadblocks aren’t the end of your journey only a pause, a chance to regroup and come back stronger.

When adversity hits feel the frustration, then shift your focus to what you can control. Every setback carries a lesson — find it, own it, and use it.

Break big challenges into small steps, celebrate progress, and keep moving forward.

Resilience isn’t about avoiding obstacles — it’s about rising every time you fall. Trust that every roadblock is shaping you for something greater.

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” — Maya Angelou

I needed that reminder, if you know someone who does, pass it along.

Unexpected disappointments hit hard because they catch us off guard.

But disappointment is proof we care — And that’s not a weakness.

It’s a sign that we’re engaged, invested, and striving for something better.

Your story doesn’t end with one setback. Disappointment isn’t defeat—it’s just a detour. Keep going.

Feel free to pass this along to someone who might like this reassurance.

Dr. Amit Sood, a physician and neuroscientist, often talks about how the brain is wired for survival, not happiness. My NYU college students always seem very relieved to hear this.

Our brain’s default mode is to scan for threats, anticipate problems, and dwell on the negative because, from an evolutionary perspective, this kept us alive.

Happiness, on the other hand, is not automatic.

It requires intentional effort to train our brains to focus on joy, gratitude, and meaning rather than just threats and worries.

It’s not us!  We’re not born this way — we’re born THAT way. Our default isn’t unhappiness.  But we can train the brain for it.

Go ahead and pass it along if you wish.

A great way to get out of bed feeling motivated in the digital age is to reframe your mindset from “I have to get up” to “I get to get up.”

Maybe focusing on one thing that you are legitimately looking forward to doing this day or how to take a small step toward your goal.

These are tough times and we’re more connected than ever so it’s easy to think that getting out of bed to start the day could seem like a drag.

“I get to get up” is how most of us feel anyway so the trick is to start with that thought and change the way we look at our day.

These are “day starters” so starting the day is a big deal, pass it along if you’d like.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant pressure to succeed, stay ahead, and keep up with the noise around us.

Anxiety often feels like an invisible weight, pressing down on us as we try to juggle everything life throws our way. But remember this: you don’t have to have it all figured out right now.

Life is a journey, not a race. Embrace the moments of stillness, no matter how small, and allow yourself the space to breathe, reflect, and recalibrate. Every step forward, no matter how slow, is progress.

You have the power to quiet the noise and reclaim your peace. By focusing on what’s within your control—your thoughts, your actions, your response to life—you can break free from the cycle of anxiety.

I hope you liked this – if you did, pass it on, no problem.

Every day is an opportunity to take another step toward the life you want. It’s never too late to build new skills, embrace change, and pursue what truly matters to you.

Big projects, large goals – these are not necessary to advance your life.  Smaller goals feel just as good and train the brain to create positive thinking.

Your next chapter can start today!

Share with someone, they will appreciate it.

Katharine Whitehorn said it best – “the best careers advice to give to the young is ‘Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it’”.

In the meantime, author Meg Jay who writes about The Defining Decade (your 20’s) says your first job isn’t just about earning a paycheck—it’s a chance to develop skills, build professional relationships, and create a reputation that can carry you forward.

It almost seems once you start working, it’s easy to get caught up to keep working, pay the bills, support the family so if you missed the chance to do that one thing you really wanted to do before you got into life’s treadmill, think about a way to fit it in now.

Maybe someone you know might appreciate this message so feel free to pass it along.

The comedian George Carlin said, “I put a dollar in one of those change machines.  Nothing changed”.

•  As Viktor Frankl put it: “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves”.
• Don’t solve problems immediately, just try to deal with them.
• Use your personal gifts to battle adversity every day.
• Be grateful for that which you have.
• Some problems can be handled right away.  Others take longer – sometimes considerably  And some can never be resolved requiring us to accept them and move on.
• Line up the adversity that befalls you and deal with it sustained by the knowledge that what makes it tolerable is to focus on gratitude.

If you liked this pass it on to others.