The Best Day Project

Small Moments. Meaningful choices. Making today your best day no matter the circumstances. 

What is a Best Day? 

One thing about life is certain: We will live through the best of times and the worst of times. When we are hurting, we tend to look inward, but isolation and exclusion will only lead us deeper into despair. In my work over many years, I’ve learned that healing begins when we

choose to look outward. That wisdom runs through all 18 stories in my memoir, The Best Day.

“But what is a best day?” I’m hearing that question from interviewers and other people who are just hearing about this book. So, I developed this easy way to remember my message:

B- Believe that today’s challenge does not define you.

E-  Embrace the struggle — learn and grow.

S- Show gratitude for people and moments that matter.

T- Take one meaningful step forward.

That process unfolds through the true stories in this new book. My hope is that the book’s message, and now this BEST acronym, will prod us to allow our challenges and struggles to positively transform our lives over time. Because the truth is: No one can avoid bad days, and

seeking to live our “best days” doesn't deny that worst days exist.

When we encounter something unfortunate, we often focus on: "Why is this happening to me?" 

Instead, we can declare: “Today’s challenge will not define me.”

We can ask:

- Who can I become because of this?

- How can this moment strengthen me?

- What can I do differently tomorrow?

- How will I remember today in 10 years?

The questions we ask determine the direction we move going forward.

A best day isn't found—it is built, one decision and one action at a time. It isn't the day when everything goes right. It is the day when adversity becomes growth, pain becomes purpose, setbacks become steppingstones, and we choose hope over hopelessness.

Acceptance isn't surrender—it is the starting line.

So, I say, “Embrace the struggle—learn and grow.” On our worst days, we must seek to find just one victory. This can include anything from simply getting out of bed in the morning to going for a walk to making a phone call to a friend. Small wins build confidence.

A worst day can be transformed by showing “gratitude for people and moments that matter.” It’s a process of taking “one meaningful step forward.” Those steps can take many forms: as simple as a great workout, a heartfelt prayer, or a single apology. Tiny steps eventually lead to uplifting journeys.

Having a best day isn't pretending that pain doesn't exist. It is refusing to let pain become the only thing we see. Even in our darkest moments, we can remember who loves us and identify what strengths we possess.

A worst day can become a dungeon—or a diving board.

Many people discover their life's purpose because of the very thing they once wished had never happened.

Who knows? Decades later, you may laugh about your worst day and include it as a chapter in your memoir.