“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…” A thunderstorm in the musical The Sound Of Music served as the venue for a very significant life lesson – both in the musical and for us: when things get tough, find the things that make you feel secure, happy, balanced and loved.

The last two years have been some of the toughest times in many of our lives. But tough times are just part of the way life is. Life is as it is – our role is to respond to it, treasure and live it in an extraordinary way, regardless how it comes at us.

The key to this is to know yourself – what makes you happy and what your favorite things are. Then to build these things into your life, particularly in tough times, to feel optimistic, content and well.

Most of us don’t spend enough time knowing ourselves and in particular, the things that make us happy. When tough times arrive, we are ill-equipped to successfully respond. So start today. Create a list of your favorite things. Build as many of them into your life everyday – and double up on them when your world is difficult.

Ask yourself these questions to create your list of “favorite things:”
1. What am I good at? What do I feel capable and competent doing?
2. What am I passionate about? What gets me engaged and fired up?
3. What could I do all day and never look at the time?
4. What can I read that will bring me to a good place?
5. Who can I spend time with and feel connected, important and loved?
6. What place or location makes me feel connected and alive?

So back to a thunderstorm in Salzburg, Austria and the Von Trapps. The lesson is that when things get tough, know how to respond with things that make you feel happy, secure and loved. Build your list. Have it ready because life is never easy, but how you respond can make it great.