ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that hopelessness, helplessness, and powerlessness have long been known to be associated with unhappiness, low self-esteem, and depression. Hopefulness and empowerment are linked to a fulfilling, purposeful, and happy life. The chapter describes the people relay on the outside factors that control happiness and well-being and feel disempowered when they don't meet their expectations. The chapter also provides example stories describing how to develop empowering self-talk and self-concepts and how to gain, enjoy, and use personal resources. Some stories described here are an old story of a samurai warrior and Shakespeare's famous play, Romeo and Juliet. The challenges cannot be altered but have some choices about how to emerge from those challenges. The choices can be either disempowering or empowering. One can learn from the stories not only to deal with the current challenges but also to be better equipped for other challenges inevitably face in the future.
