There are many times in our life when we just want to throw it all in, hide under the covers or run off to be a different person in a different town. And it's true: problems can get you down, especially when there seems to be no end to them. But by making a small change in your thinking you can actually turn your problems into good things - into things you actually look forward to. And best of all - changing your thinking costs nothing to do.

"How can I do that?" you might ask. What I am about to say may seem crazy, or even different, but it's true: You have never truly lost until you stop trying. Why? Because while you're still trying, each set-back doesn't stop you, it becomes a new lesson to help you on your way to success. Each set back makes you a more worthy opponent. Each set-back helps you get stronger, better and faster - so long as you never ever quit.

Whenever we set out to do something - maybe we've set a goal, or maybe we just secretly want something we don't have - we never go there in a straight line. Sure, we start out heading directly towards it, but something might happen that makes us have to adjust our course. So we adjust, but then we might go off course the other way! The point is, so long as we are constantly readjusting our course while moving forward, we are going to get to our goal eventually. Pilots never go in a straight line to their destination - and they never fly on auto pilot the whole way. They adjust their flight-path to get to their destination.

"That's all very well" I hear you say, "but I'm not a pilot. How do I put this into practice?" There are 3 ways I will show you.

Three Ways To Turn Your Problems Into Blessings

1: When you fail, write it down. Go back over it. Look at what you can do differently. Even if you take one thing away that you can change to help you out next time, it was worth it.

2: Ask someone. Get their opinion on what happened, but ask them in a "solution-finding" way. For example "How can I avoid ___ next time?" Ask "How" you can fix it, not "Why" this always happens to you. You will find that others often have insights you never thought of.

3: Become a "life-long-learner". When you commit to learning something new every day, you will find that you can often pre-empt problems before they arise. This will make you happier, more stable, and more fun to be around too.

When you start using your set-backs instead of complaining about them, magic things will start to happen. You will find that you become a happier person, you get to your goals sooner, people start becoming drawn to you, and you even start to have less problems altogether. Someone once said "Problems are a sign of life" - the only people who have no problems are 6 feet under. So why not celebrate them? It's good to be alive, and as long as we're alive, there will be problems to help us become better.