A little perspective goes a long way.

There are two ways of meeting difficulties; you alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself to meet them. - Phyllis Bottome

Have you ever had a problem with your computer? These maddening machines have become all-important factors in our lives. We email. We IM. We do research via internet. We check on the weather and sports scores. We make our plans and write our wills with our computers. We acquire our music. Heck, we even watch TV on our computers now.

Sometimes (maybe even often times), we take a breath, try to prevent the animals inside ourselves from ripping the machine off the desk and out the window, and reboot. And when even this isn't working right or not the way we want, we have to depend on the troubleshooting advice of manuals or the Geek Squad at Best Buy. But when this doesn't work, what then?

I am the first to admit that that I've made the mistake of depending on old habits to remedy my problems, and often, these methods don't work. When this happens to you, do you give up? Do you give in to the frustration and anxiety?

Knowing yourself means knowing when your way of doing things is no longer working and to ask for help, even if it's just for a new direction, a new way of looking at things. Perspective can be the best defense again the worst of situations. It can be the first step in changing ourselves for the better and overcoming the obstacles in our way to our goals.

It might even mean it's time for a new computer.

The change lies with you...

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. - Mahatma Gandhi

It all starts with you. One of the things I remember when I feel myself or circumstances stagnating is this: Nothing changes if nothing changes.

When you make a decision to do something different, to be something different, to take a different attitude, and to create change, then that is exactly what happens.

We live in a world that is faltering on many a front. People are losing jobs, losing homes, losing livelihoods. If you are in the position to do something, do it. It's not the time to look the other way and hope that the economy will change, that someone else will help. Change starts with you. Even in small ways. Even if it means placing change in a Salvation Army kettle.

The world is imperfect, yes. But that does not mean it must continue to worsen before it gets better. In times of discontent, it was the small acts by people, acts that moved us forward, that made all the real difference. When people decide to put aside their differences and come together to find real solutions to problems that change was created.

It starts with one voice. It starts with you.