The holiday season has officially begun -- bringing with it a traditional mix of feelings that range from excitement to misery. When you think about the holidays, do you focus on the positive events that give the season its unique flavor or...

"A man may fulfill the object of his existence by asking a question he cannot answer, and attempting a task he cannot achieve." -Oliver Wendell Holmes

Why has the acceptance of personal success become so taboo in our society today? In many cases, I think it is because we fail to recognize success when it arrives. When you struggle for something over a long period, the effort you expend...

A Personal Note From Carolyn: This is a raw, unfiltered post.

[image via NY Times]

Senator Ted Kennedy has passed away after battling a horrific form of brain cancer. I heard the announcement just minutes ago as I was shutting down...

About a month ago, I wrote about the In2 Effect, which is the secret technique I personally use to turn my negative thoughts more positive. When you apply the In2 Effect, you transform the negative into (or In2) positive, the hardship into...

Various studies show that an optimistic mindset will lift your mood and might add years to your life. But how do you look on the bright side when life is really bleak? Let's say you've lost a job, are going through a divorce,...

You might think that childhood cancer survivors would experience a narrow range of negative emotions from anger to sadness. What has often amazed me, however, is how hopeful and joy filled these survivors really are. In my book PERSEVERANCE (Forge, 2009), which...

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

If you ask ten different children that age-old question, you'll likely get ten different answers--all delivered with the determination and optimism that comes with the innocence of childhood.

For as...

How often do we identify and really think about the good stuff? We seem to focus an incredible amount of our energy on things that don't make us feel joyful--like the things that are missing from our lives. We wonder what we have...

Now, more than ever, I am reaching within for the strength to persevere. For me, the secret ingredient in that recipe is slowing down and looking at life from a different perspective. I realize that instead of focusing on what I'm losing right...

If you watch reality television or read the entertainment news, you've noticed that almost every show tends to stir up controversy. The new reality show on Bravo, "NYC Prep," is no exception; however, this storm has extended beyond Hollywood and has now clouded...

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." -Sydney J. Harris

Ten Ways to Nourish Your Inner Zen: Part One

"Things do not change; we change." - Henry David Thoreau

When I heard that Farrah Fawcett had passed away on June 25th, my body went weak. I, along with millions of other individuals, watched her battle cancer with such incredible strength and dignity. Never giving up -- always expressing hope. A quote she...

Last week, I wrote about feelings of inadequacy and how I work to battle them. Notably, I received quite a few e-mails in response to that post, most of which focused on specific questions. However, while those questions were different, they shared a common theme: everyday angst. That angst...

Simply writing this title has decreased my confidence significantly. Yet now that I realize why I feel self-doubt, I can move forward and write this post -- my first for the Huffington Post. How incredible it is that in a split second, we can shift our mindset from negative to...