Nothing that happens to us has any meaning at all--other than the meaning we give it, that is.

Think about it; if you were not there to interpret the event, to name it, to classify it, to give it meaning, then it would just be.

Let it be.

Let It Be If you don't like what it means, let it mean something different. You can find a superlative meaning in every experience.

The worst day of your life can be the best day of your life, if you decide that it has a special meaning to you, that it will lead you to a brighter future, that it is the foundation of your future success and ability to help others.

Abraham Lincoln said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their mind to be."

Truer words were never spoken.

Jesus said it this way, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

Whatever meaning you attribute to the things that are happening right now is just a story you are telling yourself.

Tell a different story. Write a prequel, then a sequel. Give it a different ending, a different moral, a different meaning. Your life is your fairy tale for the making, the dreaming, the living, and the redeeming.

Get the Facts Stop wallowing in negative opinions. Get the facts. What do you really know? What has actually happened?

Merely stating the facts can alleviate the burden of a problem, because we are speaking the truth, and the truth shall set us free.

The facts give us a dispassionate view, meaning they turn down the passion of negative feelings to allow an impassioned response.

Clarify what you value. What is the outcome that you really want?

Create a plan. Put it in your schedule. Then get on with it.

The Labyrinth Is Known We are not the first to encounter problems, nor will we be the last. The labyrinth is known by those who have gone before, have suffered what we suffer, and have overcome what we must overcome.

Seek the counsel of wise, more-experienced people. To be wise, seek the counsel of the wise! Hear their words. Accept their comfort. Be inspired by their example.

Be humble enough to ask for help and assistance when your own wisdom is insufficient for the task and you will grow in wisdom and stature.

By consistently seeking the counsel of others you will earn your own seat in the council of the wise, and the day will come when you will find yourself speaking rather than seeking.

We have come to learn, and learn we must.

About the Author

Roice Krueger was a co-founder of FranklinCovey, the world's largest training and education company. Amazingly, Roice has consulted for 80% of the Fortune 500 companies. Those companies know that Roice delivers the goods, and they continue to beat a path to his door when they need help! Visit Roice's 101 E-Book Library at http://www.IdeasThatCanChangeYourLife.com.