Before you are too quick to honk at the driver who cut you off, or get irritated by the cashier that can't make change in their head, stop and think: EVERYBODY IS GOING THROUGH SOMETHING. At any given moment, we are all dealing with things that other people don't know about. Sometimes, we are dealing with things of which we are really unclear about the root of the problem. Give compassion, give space to human expression, forgive before the event that offends. You will soon realize that we are all going "through it" together.

Five thoughts on parking places and life as shared by John Maxwell:
1. There's not always a parking place available.
2. You increase the odds of getting a parking place if you try.
​3. Some people will always try to keep you from finding your parking place.
4. Some people will always help you find a parking place.
5. There are shuttle people, and there are parking place people... who will you hang around?
 How you think determines what you get. Think about that!

The secret to success without hard work is still a secret! There is no way to be successful without work, and many times, the work is hard and covers a long period of time. If you are not willing to put in the effort to focus on the fundamentals of success, you will never find it. It is very important to embrace the work necessary to be successful. First, you must believe you are capable of greatness to reach it, but it is imperative that you put in the work. Coach K. said, "Work not just until you get it right, work in a way that you cannot get it wrong." Have I mentioned that you need to work hard to be successful? Work. A lot. Now.

Disappointment is a part of life. Things don't always turn out the way we want. When things don't go your way, how do you respond? Do you get angry? Do you complain, and let other people know how terrible "this" is? Do you stop and think about how your reaction appears to others? The fact is, when things aren't going YOUR way, it is possible that things are going EXACTLY they way somebody else planned them to go. So, not everybody is disappointed in every circumstance that disappoints YOU. Rather than jump on the bandwagon of complainers, STOP and THINK: "What can I learn from this disappointment? What could I do differently that would prevent this sort of disappointment from repeating itself? What part of this situation is controlled by me?"
Change the things you can, and work on those things you can control. Learn from your disappointments. If you find that your parents are the type that NEVER want you to be disappointed, they are ROBBING you of learning opportunities for how to handle disappointments in life. It is not a matter of if disappointment happens, rather, it is when and how often will disappointment show up in my life. I suggest you learn how to handle it...now.

We are consumers. We are thrifty, and good bargain shoppers. We are bold and demanding when it comes to what we receive for the money we pay. If you were to go into a restaurant that had advertised all meals are $10, (which includes a main course, a salad, a dessert, and a beverage) and the server neglected to bring you a beverage, it would surely start a course of action including speaking to the manager about how you have been slighted. Yet, if a professor puts a sign on her door announcing that class is cancelled that day, we cheer. Yay!! Are we not paying for those courses by the minute? And when somebody robs us of one (or more) of those minutes, we should demand that we be compensated, shouldn't we? Seeing as how we are the bargain shoppers, deal hunters, and professional consumers that we are, let's be conscious of the education we are "consuming."

Now we are a week past Thanksgiving day. Are you grateful for anything today? Measure your days by the good in your life, not the troubles, the difficulty, or complaints. Think of as many things as you can that make you smile, laugh, feel loved, or of which you are grateful. Hold those thoughts throughout your day. Do this every day, and see how your week shapes up. Do it for a month and see how things go. At that point, it will be a habit, and it will be the way you "are." People will notice. Those that like to complain will seek companions in misery elsewhere, and those who appreciate your positive attitude will come around...maybe just to see what you have that nobody else seems to. Make today awesome in spite of what happens!