I love quotes and have thousands of them. Therefore, I like to use them in my writing. You've heard it before... Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. People get sick, lose their jobs, get divorced, have financial problems, raise troubled kids, suffer from depression, etc. There are a multitude of other things that can go wrong in life. Sooner or later we all face some kind of trouble which is just part of life.

What does it take to get past some of the heartache that we all surely experience? One time I saw the movie "Men of Honor" and was engrossed with one man's quest to be all he could be in his life. Many seemingly insurmountable obstacles were thrown in his path and, yet, he kept finding ways to go where he wanted life to take him. I remember that this really made an impression on me because I saw his persistence that he would not ?allow? anything to stop him.

What does it take to keep your faith, find the ?good? in circumstances, and continue on your journey through life? I know from my many painful experiences when there were times when I did not want to continue because I just didn't know how I could keep ?truckin?. However, I somehow always found the ?HOPE??that quality that I believe God gives all of us in those situations. In my work as a school counselor; now as an entrepreneur, and from all my personal experiences, I have found it takes healthy doses of the following elements to press on and keep going when the ?going gets tough?:

1. A sense of purpose. People who are persistent and continue on their journey--know who they are and what they bring to the table. They also know that success is cumulative and that a person is not the sum of his successes or failures, but rather a total sum of his how his mind, body, and spirit operate.

"Self-esteem--an estimation of who I am apart from what I do." ? Nathaniel Branden

2. The ability to see the bigger picture and to keep a positive attitude. Troubles and turmoil are often the steppingstones to greater and bigger dreams. This is difficult to see in the midst of trouble, but having even the smallest mustard seed of faith will help propel you forward. Think positive and be unstoppable!

?No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit?. ? Helen Keller

3. Perseverance and support. When you know who you are meant to be, the only way to be that person is to keep pressing on. Find a way. If there is not a path, then make one. And don't go it alone. Get the support you need. Find someone you trust. Ask for their feedback and support. Why make life harder than it has to be? When you go it alone, you make it that way. Keep on ?keeping' on!

"Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air." - John Quincy Adams

"It's never too late to be what you might have been." - George Elliot

I urge you now to take some to time to reflect and do a check-in with who you are. Are you happy with yourself? Are you in integrity? Who do you want to be? If something or someone has been stopping you from taking the above steps, just simply begin and watch what comes your way. Be true to who you are and expect to have a delightful future! I know you can be ?unstoppable? and not quit!