Here's my old friend Oreo after digging for chipmunks. He's gone on to Dog Heaven but while he walked this earth, a smarter dog you wouldn't find. He'd rushed in to greet me every morning and I asked him, "What do you want big boy? Need to go outside?" He'd reply "Listen bud, get to the door or I'm losing it here on the floor." (It actually went "ruff, ruff, ruff, scratch, lick some inappropriate parts, pant, ruff.) Often he'd show up with cat litter on his face as he was kind of a connoisseur of those "crunchy litter outside with a soft chewy center" tidbits.

So what do you think about when you first rise? I suspect it's not losing it on the floor. Your mind sets the tone for the day - making you an approachable-friendly person or something crawling out of a cat box. You are what you think! Positive, confident people master the power of the brain in the morning and all day long. So can you.

Mind power is incredible when linked to constructive behavioral changes - and they say nuclear fusion is cool. The following Change Me units will guide you to do just that. By dedicating time to practice the techniques I describe, the benefits are almost limitless. Begin with Mirror - Mirror, on the Wall and work through each unit - completing the activities with a real sense of urgency. Get excited about making changes you know will improve your life's outlook. It's a tremendous feeling!

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

Ever look into the mirror and scream? Well, even after finishing this unit, that might still happen. Heaven knows I'm no miracle worker. But deep inside we all have a vast wealth of unique qualities. Re-discover and affirm those traits in this section

I'm OK and You're So-So

Having high self-esteem is not about being right all the time - it's about recognizing our worth and seeing how foolish others really are. Believing in your self isn't that hard. Give it a shot!

The critic arises from within

The devil made me do it!!!! Don't let negative thoughts dictate who you are and what you can accomplish. Learn how to beat the little critical voice inside your head. It no longer calls me stupid, loser, and butt-scratcher-from-eastern-Detroit.

Hey man, My sun glasses are really scratched!

When I'm screaming down cemetery hill on my bike with my cool rose-colored glasses I see colors that are all screwed up. In real life, you distort reality by false certainties you've been programmed to accept. Get on with life by facing the truth, not the false distortions misguiding your efforts.

Putting mistakes to work.

Mistakes are lazy slackers. In this unit, we look at how to stop wasting energy - dragging around the extra baggage of mistakes. Don't worry, I won't provide a lot of examples - even though I have enough to go around.

Worrywarts and other deformities

Did you know most of our worst worries come true? Well of course they don't, but you'd think the hours everyone spends worrying produced great results. This unit looks at how to rid your self of worrywarts without cosmetic surgery.

Life's a bowl full of jelly - maybe asparagus

Oh, ebb and flow of life. Good times and moments that really suck. So how to survive the low times when things can't seem to get any worse? Win the lottery, how else? But this section looks at some other things with a little higher probability than 1 in 1,990,554,677,344,000.032.

Tofu and you

Don't punish yourself - just eat the right foods, exercise regularly, spend more time outside, stay away from cauliflower, and never inhale when using pesticides. Did you know a cockroach will live nine days without it's head? Want to be more positive - don't lose your head - get your entire body on the right track.

Making people want you - really want you

People are social animals. Hey, don't believe me just look at the New York subway. Seems everyone wants to be a part of a bigger purpose. You can make good things happen starting with a good impression and paying closer attention to what people say. Here's how.

Don't miss the starting gun

Here we consider the constipating question, "How can I get more free time." Prunes aside, getting more free time and accomplishing essential is really a matter of self management - not time management. Learn more here.

That little thing called Love

How many ways can you define love? Love can be physical, emotional, mental, really mental, abnormally mental, mental to the point that I question why my wife put me in the corner and told me to stay there until I was sorry. Does love really conquer all? Are we really better people by embracing those around us - obviously excluding anyone with lip fungus? Answers to these and other death defying questions in this section.

Go to your happy place

Unlike a comfortable coach airline seat - a happy place isn't very hard to find. This section examines mental focusing techniques resembling that four-letter word "meditation". And no, you don't have to assume the lotus position or dress in loosely fitting clothes resembling an overflowing dirty clothes basket.

The puzzle comes together

In sixth grade my goal was to smuggle as much candy as possible into my school desk. Was I successful? Heck yes. Which might seem rather counterintuitive for a hyperactive kid. So it's not just having goals, but making fairly certain they're appropriate ones.