You know what? Every one of us has something that is a recurring theme of failure for us. For some of us, it is our temper. For others, it can be giving in to cravings, lying, laziness, self-sabotage, self-hatred, addictive smoking or drinking. Some harbor resentments toward a spouse or family member and secretly blame them for life’s failures. This is not an inclusive list, and some of us have more than one of these. I don’t know what you call these ugly mindsets, but I call them “strongholds.”  However, there’s GOOD NEWS on the horizon! You can do a transformation challenge and at the same time work on your character defects that are holding you back. Notice that I said YOUR character defects, and didn’t say a thing about THOSE OTHERS who are doing these things to you! That’s because for you to have serenity and peace, you need to fix the one person you are empowered to fix—you! The other person and what they are doing is not your problem, but your response to their behavior is! As the old saying goes, your response is your responsibility! And, there’s even better news coming. I cannot give you names, because I don’t reveal confidential information about people. BUT, I can promise you that there ARE people on the Tracker, the guestbook and elsewhere who have had what you have that is killing your efforts, and they have conquered it by fixing themselves and letting God fix the other people.  My guess is that if you figure out how to openly admit what your issue is, without revealing hurtful details that might harm you or others, that there is someone who will see that post, and will contact you and tell you what worked for them.  These people have learned not only how to live with a situation  they once viewed as intolerable, but they have learned the secret of being joyful while they do. And they have also learned that helping others get free of this tyranny of their minds makes them even more joyful. You know who you are out there, you wounded healers! I love you; and I know you read these blogs! Don’t let me down, and please help the folks who need it the most.  You were once just as lost and isolated and frustrated as you could be, and on some days that seems like just a distant memory! Thanks! Blessings to all of you this beautiful weekend! Life is great, and God is good—all the time!