Book excerpt: Amy E. Dean, bestselling author of Night Light and Pleasant Dreams, tells us in Facing Life's Challenges--Daily Meditations for Overcoming Depression, Grief and "The Blues," that there are healthy responses to emotional pain, as well as destructive responses. She says, "Give yourself permission to feel and express those feelings when handling a loss, or major disappointment, in life. Doing so can lead to healing and long-term recovery." Facing Life's Challenges is designed to assist readers experiencing depression, who are going through a grieving process or just generally having a hard time. Each of the 366 daily meditations in this book suggests a simple "mental conditioning exercise" that can help muster an optimistic attitude even when things are most chaotic. Facing Life's Challenges can help you gradually minimize your emotional lows, and maximize your self-empowering highs.