Now, of course there will always be exceptions, but generally successful people are happy, positive people. The question is: are they happy because they are successful, or are they successful because their positive attitude helped propel them towards success?

Answers may vary, but more likely, the successful people were able to get where they are now because they were, positive, confident, and did what needed to be done. Their "never say can't" attitude stemmed from within.

Feeling good about yourself can create an environment where events and life scenarios around you are easily experienced as positive. Even those that would otherwise seem negative. For example, the loss of a job may allow you to evaluate career paths. A person who loves themselves (and let us not confuse loving oneself with conceit),  will have more self-confidence in this circumstance. This confidence can allow for energy and self-encouragement when looking for a new job, and perhaps in a new direction, in such a way that might actually improve their life! The late David Brinkley, former NBC and ABC newscaster, said it right, "A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her."

Loving yourself, even when challenges come your way will help you be happier with yourself, which in turn will help you be  happier with your life, which in turn will help you think positively about goals and life events, and allow you to never say can't. 

Reach for the Sky. 

Commuter busing becomes more popular as workers have to travel further for their jobs, as an effort to save gas, and to help the environment by having less vehicles on the road. I would image each person has their own reason for using commuter transportation. I choose to take a bus for a variety of reasons and I appreciate that this option is available to everyone. On my way in to work today, a call came in over the radio to our driver reporting that some riders had to be left behind at a stop because there just was not enough room. How unfortunate! The compassionate bus driver, knowing he was going to pass by that stop, offered to pick up the remaining passengers. Selfishly, a passenger in the front row of my bus exclaimed, "We can't! That is not on our scheduled route! We are not supposed to waste time stopping there!" I couldn't believe what I heard. The driver merely ignored her distressed complaints, as he rightly should have. The stop was literally on the road we were traveling on and did not take much time at all. The abandoned people were also extremely grateful. However, even if the bus took 10 full minutes out of the way, I would not have minded. It is unfortunate that the lady on the bus could not see past her own "inconvenience" of a few minutes, in order to realize that the people we were picking up were more severly inconvenienced. If we had not stopped, they would have stood there waiting for another 45 minutes!

Sometimes we need to just get over ourselves and see the bigger picture. Then, take joy in the fact that there are kind people, like our bus driver, who don't mind going a little out of their way to help someone out. The lady on the bus used that awful word "can't". Yet, the driver DID stop and everything worked out just fine. So why did she think we couldn't? In this instance, perhaps fear of being late? Who knows. The message: Put yourself in someone elses shoes, get over yourself, and see the bigger picture!

I like to garden. I have spent the past few weeks tending to my little plants - watering, pruning, etc. Taking the time out to do somthing you enjoy can have such a positive impact on your life. Specifically, when I garden, watching my plants grow allows for opportunity to reflect also on how I grow each year spiritually, intellectually, and devlopmentally. Despite all the downpours I have had in my area, and several days of flash heat waves, these little plants are pushing up towards the sky. These plants are another way to keep me encouraged and positive. Even if I have a "rainy day," I will continue to grow, and continue to reach for the sky.

Find something that you enjoy that can be symbolic of what you hope to achieve in your own personal development. The physical tending to this hobby, task, or craft will help you to emotionally and psychologically push forward in your own endeavors and never say can't.