What makes some people rise above life's ups and downs, and yet others seem to wallow in self-pity and helplessness? How do some of us achieve our dreams and become successful, while others never seem to get their ideas off the ground? What's your excuse for not being the best, most successful person you can be? Les Brown addresses each of these questions in his updated publication of 'Up Thoughts for Down Times.' From his examples of people who found opportunity in times of crisis (like during the recent devastating hurricanes) to his insistence that we live without regrets, he has managed through cleverly-written chapters to reassure us that even in what we consider unbearable circumstances, that there is a way to move forward.