“To succeed at life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.” - Reba McEntire.

The only thing that is constant in life is change. Whether you’re moving, people are leaving, people are coming, job titles are transforming…change is inevitable. Life is all about an ebb and flow. Sometimes, there’s an influx of good; other times, there’s an influx of good; and other times, there’s an influx of not-so-good. It’s easy to enjoy the good parts of life - a new house, the birth of a baby, a raise - but not always easy to find the good in the hard times of life. It would be silly to hope for a life devoid of bad times. After all, when we emerge from these bad times, we are smarter, more resilient, and more grateful. So, how can one get through hard times as easily as possible? Just as Reba herself said…you’ll need a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.

This trio could mean many things, but to us, a wishbone is for hope, a backbone is for strength, and a funny bone is for humor. In hard times, you’ll need all three. Depending on the situation, the order or the degree to which you need one might shift and change. Your priority for each might vary, and that’s okay as long as you have all three in some form.

Hope, strength, and humor are powerful intentions to set in the morning, whether you expect an easy or difficult day. Optimism and hope are like a magnet that will pull good things to you. Being resolute and strong is essential to self-respect. And last but not least, never forget a sense of humor. When times are good, it’s important to enjoy - to laugh with friends and to have a smile on your face. And when the bad times inevitably roll around, a sense of humor is even more important. When you can find a sense of lightheartedness in a dark moment, you remind yourself of your innate ability to withstand any situation. Knowing you have the tools to withstand and transform any difficult moment…what’s more important than that?