"It's choice ? not chance ? that determines your destiny." --Jean Nidetch

It is not what happens to us in our lives that is important, but how we choose to deal with it. 'Stuff happens', as the saying goes. So what do you do about it?

Realizing that you have a choice is the first step. Lost your job? You can chose to dwell on the past and the 'I wish it hadn't happened', or you can pick yourself up, dust yourself down and think 'It's happened. What can I do now?' Choose to change the way you think. Take notice ? hear what your intuition is telling you ? listen and pay attention.

What are your alternatives? What are your options? Make a decision. Your decision. Other people's 'negative reactions' belong to them. Choose not to absorb them as your own. Maintain your own integrity and choose to follow the path to your ideal future. What do you need to learn? Who do you need to know? What do you need to do? There is always a range of possibilities to choose from. Now is the time to decide which ones are right for you. It is up to you. Be in charge of yourself. Choose to stop apologizing or making excuses. Don't disconnect yourself from what you truly want ? don't compromise if your instincts are screaming for you to follow another path.

Through conscious and subconscious choices the control of your life is in your hands. Even choosing to do nothing, change nothing, is still a choice. Choose to invest in yourself ? because you are worth it ? time, emotion, money and respect. No one else will value you unless you choose to value yourself.

Kate Harper is based in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland. Check out her website http://www.harpercoaching.com

She works with people who are fed up with moaning about their lives and have decided to do something about it. If that is you, please have a look at her website. She is happy to work with people from any part of the world.

"The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult." Madame Marie du Deffand

Take your first step today and contact Kate.