1. Stay away from negative and pessimistic people.

2. Do not complain and blame others for your mistakes, problems, misfortunes and setbacks. You are responsible for your actions and consequences; you are responsible for your life and circumstances.

3. Be more in touch with your thoughts and feelings, do not get carried away by your worries. No matter what, make the conscious decision to start your day, every day, in a positive and optimistic way.

4. Always work on maintaining a positive attitude about things. We all know that we cannot always control what happens in our lives, but we can always control how we react to what happens in our lives. This will help you build the courage, confidence and motivation to change, improve and find a solution to your problem.

5. Learn to adapt. Things change, circumstances change. Adjust yourself and your efforts to what it is presented to you so you can respond accordingly. Never see change as a threat, because it can be an opportunity to learn, to grow, evolve and become a better person.

6. Face your reality with courage. Take a good and careful look at your situation and allow yourself time to think. See where you are now and decide what you want and where you want to be. Build the enthusiasm, make up your mind and go for it. Realize that you have the ability and the potential to change yourself and to change things.

7. Concentrate on the beautiful things in your life. Never compare yourself with others. Remember you are unique; there is nobody else like you and you are capable of doing great and wonderful things with your life.

8. Look for better or different ways to do things. Allow yourself to see beyond what others think is possible, wise or practical. Be proactive and be part of a solution, not part of a problem.

9. Be in charge of your life. Do not think and assume that what happens to you is your destiny. It is not! If you think that way you will give a message to your brain to stop looking for ideas or solutions to your problems.

10. Do not make excuses to relieve yourself from your responsibilities. Keep in mind, if you do not control your life and future somebody else will, whether you like it or not.

Work on your attitude, learn to control it, and always remember, if you are not careful your attitude will control you.

These tips are part of Rodolfo Costa's new inspirational book Advice My Parents Gave Me and Other Lessons I Learned From My Mistakes - http://admypagame.com - described on its front cover as " 409 thoughts, quotes, lessons, ideas, suggestions, reminders, words of advice and encouragement to  lead a successful, rewarding, peaceful, happy, and fulfilling life."