It can be life changing when you discover that your own thoughts and words playa major role in how joyful your life will be. They determine your successes in life and affect your relationships with others. They are the foundation upon which you base your decisions and establish your own self-worth. In other words, they hold a lot of power. That is good news! That means that your joy in life is not contingent on your outward circumstances. You get to make the decision as to how adverse situations will affect you-not the other way around. Critical and discouraging remarks do not have to influence you ... unless you choose to let them. Your mind is where the battle starts-and where it can end. Many embarrassing and negative circumstances you face in life are similar to walking with pebbles in your shoes or sitting on an airplane where someone is not wearing deodorant-annoying, but not life changing. Adversity cannot defeat you, but your response to it can. When you look in the mirror, I want you to see yourself as a treasure to behold ... a masterpiece like no other. It is time to start looking forward to your tomorrows and seeing your dreams come back to life. No matter what you are facing today, you can live life with a smile-knowing that tomorrow may hold the promises you have been waiting for. -Stephanie Tehan Patterson,from The Introduction