"The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." ~Browning

It should come as no surprise that the secret to living a rich, full and happy life lies in the second sentence of this quote. Every time we face a difficulty we have two choices: wilt or grow--it is that simple. We can complain about the difficulty, analyze it, dislike it, think it is unfair or unjust--and we might be right. But that doesn't matter. Whether we are right or wrong, the difficulty remains. We can make the difficulty a statue in our life by focusing on it, or we can make the difficulty crumble, by growing and stepping past it.

As some of you know I have gone back to school at the ripe old age of 43!! I seem to have many days that I want to wilt, turn in the towel and just give up!!. Life is just too hard with all its demand to add another to my schedule!! When this is my focus I most likely will wilt!! Yet I have another choice, to put on my cowgirl boots and cowgirl up!! (a phrase from my past) When I make the second choice I know I will grow, and not only that I will accomplish my goal!

With goals comes obstacles, to help us know if what we are seeking is truly our desire! If we are willing to stick it out when the going gets tough then what we seek becomes our destiny!

Hope happens when we look past the obstacles!!

Where have you been seeing difficulty instead of opportunity? How would it feel to remove the stone statue of "difficulty" and replace it with fertile ground for hope to grow? What can you do today to begin crumbling that status?