‘Embrace the Struggle’ filled with optimism

  I first came to know of Zig Ziglar when I took a leadership class in high school, and Ziglar’s “See You At The Top” was the book the teacher picked for our class to use. The message was easy to understand and was highly motivating.
  Now, years later, Ziglar still is motivating people with his message, only now the message has changed slightly.
  In 2007 Ziglar took a spill down a flight of stairs in his home and suffered a traumatic brain injury that has left him with memory problems. No longer able to speak to the huge crowds who clamored for his advice, one would think Ziglar would quietly retire and fade away — but not this man!
  He has taken what would have been a devastating event in anyone’s life and turned his tragedy into a life lesson others can learn from as well. In his new book, “Embrace the Struggle: Living Life on Life’s Terms,” Ziglar along with his daughter Julie Ziglar Norman address the challenges that he and his family face together along with others who also have faced struggles in their lives.
   In true exuberant Ziglar style, filled with optimism and honesty, he shares his experience, along with heartening stories from friends, as he seeks to encourage and remind his readers that life is worth living, even if it's not on their own terms. 
  Some of Ziglar’s advice: 
  “If we accept that the past is the past, yesterday ended last night, and today is a brand new day, we can have an attitude of hope. We can look forward to today with an expectation that it will be better than yesterday.”  
  “Choose the best attitude in tough situations. If we stay riled up and in turmoil, always questioning 'why' and visiting the 'if' questions, we relive the pain of our emotions again and again. We get mired in the wallowing hole of self-pity or self-doubt, and our attitude becomes laced with fear, regret, and resentment." 
   I found “Embrace the Struggle” to be a positive and uplifting approach to facing the myriad problems that everyone faces at some time in their lives. I was especially touched at how his wife and children have rallied around Ziglar to ensure that he is able to continue to spread his messages of optimism and hope for as long as he wants. This is a great reference book to be studied over and over again, with clear topics, wise advice, and a touch of humor that brings a smile to the face of this former student.