Two years ago when my son turned twenty-one, the relief racing across his face sent flutters of dismay down my spine. My troubled and painful spine: I was on the surgeon’s table two months after Scott’s birthday. First they cut open my stomach to install titanium discs. Then flipped me over and put Lego style cages around my backbone. I survived.

Hiking, actually just walking, post-surgery, I fell once a week. Where did my yoga midline go?

Back to my point: Scott was twenty-one years old. Would I ever see him? Did my life still have meaning? Are my best years behind me? It was a crisis. Have you ever felt your best years are behind you? Has your future looked bleak?

You might be surprised to know reliable research tells us the last half of life is more pleasant. Think Clint Eastwood. Yep, people in the last half of life stress less. Priorities keep them engaged with family. The motto for the last half of life could be borrowed from my yoga classes: It’s all good.

What is the path to happiness when the future looks dreary? Positive Psychology tells us to look for positive goals! Positive goals have ties to purpose and meaning. They engage our personal strengths. The synthesis of personal strengths, meaning and purpose lined up with goals produces one of the components of happiness: positive emotion. Dreary life? Solution? Positive goals.

Or try my strategy. Bring a goldendoodle home! Aidan is as cute as Scott was as a baby and almost as much work! Our days quickly filled with chores and our tribe of three is busy with walks, walks, and more walks.

Last summer we did a walk through on a rental property. (Yes, this is a little tangential.) Aidan jumped up on his hind legs, paws on the kitchen counter, he looked from us to our realtor, back and forth. His attitude was attentive, filled with interest. He seemed to be saying this is good business. What’s next?

Where do you find positive goals? Look to your dreams? Corny, I know. I spent the last two years writing my best version, of an adventure book, Redemption’s Warrior. The story is infiltrated with mysticism. Not just any mysticism. Practical mysticism. How do I know the mysticism written about in Redemption’s Warrior is practical and will get results in life? I’ve studied and practiced. I know first-hand these tools are relevant and will bring beauty and harmony to your life.

Let’s review. Stuck in a rut? Manifest positive goals, located in your dreams. Define the purpose and meaning reflected in your objective. Commit the time it takes to realize your ambition. Enjoy engaging personal strengths inherent in the process. Last of all: Seize the confidence, integrity, mastery a byproduct of fulfilling aspirations.