Choice, not chance, determines your destiny. It's up to you to decide what you are worth, how you matter, and how you make meaning in the world. No one else has your gifts--your set of talents, ideas, interests. You are an original. A masterpiece.

If you want to lose 40 pounds, you order salad instead of fries. If you want to be a better friend, you take the phone call instead of screening it. If you want to write a novel, you sit down and write a single paragraph. It's scary to make major changes, but we usually have enough courage to take the next right step.

If we threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

A book store is a treasure chest. Every time you walk in one, you strike gold.

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.

Cancer is messy and scary. You throw everything at it, but don't forget to throw love at it. It turns out that might be the best weapon of all.

No one is in charge of your happiness except you.