Its a fact that we humans can easily become discouraged in our daily living. The race is often long and hard, and there are many things that can cause discouragement: Someone may say something negative about us to somebody else, or we may experience some type of failure. Health can be an issue that keeps dragging us down, or it may be finances that are creating major anxiety and stress. The possibility that discouragement is wreaking havoc in our lives is entirely possible, for any of us, at anytime, for any number of reasons.

We must never allow discouragement to get a foothold into our lives, for if it does it will run rampant, pillaging and wrecking any good or positive that is standing. People talk about being in the pits. If life is handing you a bowl of cherries, clean out the pits, press the cherries for a refreshing juice, and try to make the best of things.

In other words, when you feel discouraged, hold your head up and smile and tell yourself that things arent so bad and they could be a lot worse! Laugh a little. Find someone who is in a worse situation than you are and help them in some small way. Accomplish a goal or an objective. Look at things from another persons perspective. See the good in others. Or try my favorite way to send discouragement packingcount your blessings!

Often when I am in the dumps, it seems that people avoid me like the plague. Then, I have no choice but to do I what refer to as, pulling myself up by our own bootstraps. Recently, I went and bought a new pair of boots with bootstraps just so that I could do that. I also bought a tool known as a Boot Puller to help me overcome the challenge of putting on my boots. Now, whenever I put on my boots, I am reminded to take whatever action I can to overcome the obstacles, challenges and roadblocks that are getting in the way of my success.

Hopefully this article will symbolize the boot puller that you need to get yourself up and out of the dumps of discouragement.

2005 Professional Development Systems All Rights Reserved

Robert Prentice

Robert A. (Bob) Prentice is an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker, a corporate trainer, a business and marketing consultant, an author, and publisher, who began his career 25 years ago.On December 26, 1989, Professional Development Systems was established in Rapid City, South Dakota.

In 1998, Bob moved the business to Wessington, South Dakota, so his family could experience the benefits of living in a rural community. Since the birth of PDS, Bob has worked with literally hundreds of companies and organizations within a 15 state region, delivering highly motivational training sessions in Customer Service, Leadership, Sales, Total Quality Management, Team Building and more. Literally, thousands of people participate in Bob's training seminars each year.

A family man, Bob and Vicki, his wife of 28 years, have enjoyed the privilege of raising three children?two sons and a daughter?to adulthood. They also have an 11 year old daughter. Bob says he plays much more than he works, and when he works he goes to fun! Bob's friends call him Mr. Attitude.