Nobody's perfect…not the swimsuit model in the magazine, not your neighbor who seems to have more than 24 hours in a day because of all she does, not your clergyman or your physician. Nobody's perfect nor do they always get whatever they want. Everybody has lessons to learn. As you master one lesson, the next one appears. We'll never be perfect but we can become happier, find inner peace, increase our feelings of compassion and contribute to the well-being of others, become a creative problem solver and become grateful for all our opportunities to grow and develop.

The key to our success is found in our ability to get real. We need to be willing to admit our vulnerability and to show our humanity. We need to know what's in our heart and to speak our truth with loving kindness. If you really need a hug, ask for it. If you want to spend time with friends, pick up the phone and asked your friend to do something with you. If you want a new job, network with everybody you know and ask them for referrals. You might not always get what you want but you increase your chances if others are aware of your needs. It's far healthier to ask for what you want than to try to consciously or unconsciously manipulate others. Nobody likes being manipulated.

Here's another reason to be real. People are interesting because of their quirks. How boring life would be if everybody was exactly the same! It would be like a world populated by robots or Ken and Barbie dolls. There would be no substance. It's by triumphing over adversity that we feel exhilarated. It's by learning to interact better with another that we increase our sense of belonging. It's how we increase our feeling of truly being understood and accepted for who we really are rather than for the façade we construct. Besides, most people can see beyond our facade anyway.

Allow your uniqueness to shine for it's what makes you special. Get real, allow others to do the same and watch how the quality of your life improves.