Nobody gets through life without losing someone they love, someone they need, or something they thought was meant to be. But it is these losses that make us stronger and eventually move us toward future opportunities for growth and happiness.

I really like Marc Chernoff’s list: 40 lessons for finding strength in hard times, here they are:

1. You are not what happened to you in the past.
2. Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.
3. Struggling with problems is a natural way of growing.
4. It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.
5. Life is fragile, sudden,  and shorter than it often seems.
6. You will fail sometimes.
7. You have the capacity to create your own happiness.
8. Emotionally separate yourself from your problems.
9. Don’t make a problem bigger than it is.
10. Everything that happened is a life lesson.
11. View every challenge as an educational assignment.
12. Things change, but the sun always rises the next day.
13. Giving up and moving on are two very different things.
14. Distance yourself from negative people.
15. Perfect relationships don’t exist.
16. You must love yourself too.
17. Don’t let others make decisions for you.
18. Resentment hurts you, not them.
19. You’re not alone. Everyone has problems.
20. You still have a lot to be thankful for.
21. Consciously nurture your inner hope.
22. It’s better to be hurt by the truth than comforted by a lie.
23. It’s hard to tell how close you are to success.
24. Not getting what you want can be a blessing.
25. Laughter is the best medicine to stress.
26. Mistakes are important to make.
27. Worrying is literally a waste of energy.
28. Even when it’s hard to move, take small steps forward.
29. There will always be people who dislike you.
30. You are better off without some people you thought you needed.
31. You can’t control everything that happens to you.
32. You are only competing against yourself.
33. Life is not Easy.
34. Your future is spotless.
35. You are not trapped; you just need to re-learn a few things.
36. Everything in life is two-sided.
37. You always have a choice.
38. Let others in when you’re in a dark place.
39. If you ask negative questions, you will get negative answers.
40. The end is a new beginning.

How does the world recommend you move forward in hard times, let’s take that journey:

1. The answers are not out there, you are looking in the wrong place if you are seeking the solution from others.

2. Love truthfully and unconditionally, a worthwhile life to lead: Soul Kinda Feeling.

3. I survived after five years of mental health crises, that was my true inner strength speaking.

4. And then there are times you use your inner strength in service of others: Praise You.

5. From the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund points us towards where our strengths come from.

6. You are the creation of your experiences: You Get What You Give.

7. And then there is meditation.

8. And then your Inner Pilot Light is always on your side: Don’t Stop Believing.

9. My friend Em took me in my troubled waters recently, my trust in myself was totally cleansed.

10, And from a singer of both types of music, Sara Evans points out from little things, big things can grow: A Little Bit Stronger.

11. Nothing, Nada, Nil.

12. My 2019 set out for me: Small Stuff.

13. All champions know it is not the destination but the inner journey that is the more important to achieving the final result.

14. How much dust have you shaken off recently: Shake It Off.

15. And some advice from Yoda: May the Force be With You. Some days are harder than others to locate it.

So, say to yourself: “Dear Past, thank you for all the life lessons you have taught me. Dear Future, I am ready now!” Because a great beginning always occurs at the point you thought would be the end of everything.

Not many divas on the playlist today, mainly rock and both types of music, country and western. We rock it through the first four artists with Dynamic Hepnotics, Fatboy Slim, The New Radicals and Journey. Then Sara Evans and Alabama provide both types and we complete with Taylor Swift: Yes, Life is Tough, But You are Tougher.

So today, show Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included to your beloveds until we meet again, my dear friends.