Most people would love to find the mythical genie in a magic lamp. They'd rub the lamp, set the genie free, and instantly get three wishes that could change their life. What would you wish for: Money, success or health? However, you already have the magic genie's power within. That's right! The power of the mind can literally change your life and make all your wishes come true.

Realize that everything we say, do or think sends a message to the brain, and the brain works very hard to make our messages come true. So if you focus your mental energy on negative things, then in most cases you'll get exactly what you envisioned. On the other hand, if you focus your mental energy on positive things, even when a situation looks bleak, you can create a positive outcome.

The old saying "if life hands you lemons, make lemonade" rings so true in creating your outcome. While most of us often struggle with applying this to our everyday lives, those who go on to achieve great things despite what seem like insurmountable odds have discovered this secret-that you can achieve what you believe is possible. Believing is the key.

It's also important to understand that sometimes situations are put on our path to direct us to a destiny that we would not have otherwise chosen on our own. So negative situations can turn into blessings. Sometimes it can take years to realize how a situation impacts you, but it can turn into a positive-if you allow it to.

Following are some suggestions for making the most of any situation and turning it into a positive.

• Become aware of your thoughts. Because of our busy lifestyles today, many people aren't aware of the majority of thoughts they think. To get an idea of just how many thoughts pop into your mind within a given minute, take a few moments to just sit in a quiet spot and clear your mind. If you've never consciously tried to clear your mind before, you'll find that it's not as easy as it sounds. However, with this exercise you will become aware of the messages that stream through your mind. When you're in solitude without interruptions of traffic, the kids, the television, etc., you can finally hear the internal messages that the outside world distracts you from. Knowing these messages are keys to changing your situation.
• Visualize the message you send. Think of your brain as a command center equipped with the most advanced sonar system capable of hearing and feeling the smallest of your thoughts. Every thought you think and word you say becomes like little soldiers set on a mission to fulfill every command, desire, thought or action you initiate. Their job is to successfully carry out the command you set. Therefore, when you catch yourself saying things like, "This is going to be hard," you are programming your brain to believe that whatever it is will be hard. That message then becomes an image in your mind. Instead, create a positive image in your mind. Rather than visualize something being hard, say, "I will enjoy this new challenge." The power of your mind's eye is extraordinary. See it, believe it, and then achieve it.