When he talked, he talked with passion, about his work and interests. One day it dawned on me, if Stuart (who from what I know of him, seemingly has nothing going for him) can always be positive, happy and smiling, why can't I? This was the beginning of my new outlook on life. An era of being positive, appreciating what I have got and more than anything else, plenty of smiles. Yet, she was very careful to be seen with recycling bins out on the curb on pick-up day, because that was thought to be the thing to do socially. Now is a good time to put an end to these negative thoughts and feelings of false pride. Waste reduction is not about ego - it is about the health of the planet and of our nation. If they are flailing around and panicking then attempting a rescue will not only endanger them, but you too. It occurred to me recently that it s not just drowning people who flail around. When you are dealing with major issues in your life you have a tendency to flail around wildly too. Trouble is, as you are doing this, you are slapping away the hands that are trying to help you. Which is probably a bit like saying she wouldn't own a puppy because she doesn't want to see it grow old, or read a book because she can't stand that it will end, or better yet, eat a chocolate because then it would all be gone and all she'd have left to remind her of the wonderful experience is the foil wrapper. Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines. Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like. Build healthy coping strategies It is important that you identify your coping strategies. Learn from other people s experience, so you ll never have to encounter the same mistakes. Sometimes, you may want to wonder if some people are born leaders or positive thinkers. NO. Being positive, and staying positive is a choice. Building self esteem and drawing lines for self improvement is a choice, not a rule or a talent.