Diane and I were talking, reflecting back on what I have been writing to you, and she said something that got me thinking. We were talking about how some people perceive the economic "crisis" and Diane said, "You know, the poor already know how to handle adversity. They deal with it every day. It is those who are suddenly hit with a job loss or property loss, those who have never had this happen to them before, who are going to need help."

One of the most remarkable attributes of human beings is our ability to "come back" after a loss or failure. Like the words of the old song, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and start all over again. We can look at defeat as a new opportunity, a chance to grow and learn, and see the world as "new again." However, if we aren't challenged with defeat on occasion, we can forget how to be resilient.

I can hear your question now - "How do I get some of this resiliency?" I have a couple of suggestions. Tonight, or when you have a few minutes to spare, write down 10 things that really went well in your life. It doesn't matter when they happened in your life. After you have them written down, remember them, one by one. Feel how good it felt to succeed, to be a part of something truly wonderful. As I tell my seminar participants, wallow in those good feelings "like a pig in slop!" As you do this, you are raising and reinforcing your self-esteem.

Next, take some time and write down 10 things that didn't go so well. I am not asking you to do this to tear down that additional self-esteem you just built. I want you to remember how well you recovered. Yes, it was bad, maybe even awful, but you came out the other side, and you came out stronger and more confident. That's building resiliency.

Teach this to your children, your parents, perhaps a friend or co-worker in need of a little assistance. Do it today.