Two things really hit home when I read Peaks and Valleys -- ask yourself "what is the truth in this situation" and the idea that what you do in the bad times can bring the good times back.
I'm a 45 year old woman and I've worked for more than ten years as a mid-level sales person at a company that is closely tied to the home construction business. After a long period of steady growth and good profits, the last year and a half or so have been really tough and the company's profits have basically disappeared. My hours keep getting cut back and I've been finding it hard to make ends meet.
I kept telling myself that things would turn around, but when I was really honest with myself and asked "what is the truth in this situation," I realized that the company might not make it through another year like this one, and my job is in danger. I can't keep my head in the sand and pretend that things are just somehow going to magically improve.
Then I thought about the idea that I could do something now that might lead to better times for myself in the future. So while I still have this job, I've decided to go back to school at nights and learn the skills for a new career -- I'm learning to be a hair stylist! It's something I always thought I'd be good at but never pursued. I'm feeling really excited about the prospect of this new career, and I never would have done it if I hadn't been honest with myself about my current situation and used this down time to prepare myself for a good time.