Marc and Angel Hack Life

16 Mindful 10-Second Reminders to Bring You Clarity When You’re at a Crossroads in Life

09.08.2026 by Angel Chernoff // 13 Comments

You’ve come a long way, and you’re still learning and growing. Be thankful for the lessons. Take them and make the best of things.

It happens to all of us gradually as we live and grow. We discover more about who we are and the way life is, and then we realize there are some changes we need to make. The lifestyle we’ve been living no longer fits. The environments and routines we once found comfort in no longer exist, or no longer serve our best interests. So we cherish all the great memories, but find ourselves at a crossroads in life, moving forward.

If you’re at that point now — at a crossroads of growth and change in your life — the reminders below are for you. I hope you will reference them in the days ahead, to remind yourself not fall back into your old habits and patterns of living simply because they’re more comfortable and easier to access. To remember that you’re leaving certain habits and routines behind for a reason — to improve your life, because you can’t move forward if you keep going back. And to reclaim your full potential in this next chapter [Read more…]

An Open Letter to Those Who Never Make Themselves a Priority (and Always Put Themselves Last)

09.07.2026 by Marc Chernoff // 19 Comments

The truth is not something outside to be discovered, it is something inside you to be realized.

This short article was inspired by an email we received today from a reader of our work:

Dear Marc and Angel,

I’m in my early forties and facing a troubling reality. I’m a nurse by profession and literally spend 90% of my time every day reaching out and helping others who need a hand, but somehow I’ve completely neglected myself in the process, and I’m feeling the pain for doing so. I feel like a siren has sounded inside my mind that I just haven’t responded to. I’m often anxious and miserable, especially on my days off. What should I do? How do I motivate myself during these hard times? Any insight at all would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
A Concerned Reader

Our reply (an open reply to those who never prioritize themselves):

Dear Concerned Reader,

Once upon a time, many moons ago, there was a village of people who [Read more…]

7 Surprising Reasons You’re Attracting Toxic People into Your Life

09.06.2026 by Marc Chernoff // 21 Comments

by Cylon George

Wrong things happen when you trust, and give too much attention to, the wrong people.

Do you have toxic people in your life? Do they influence you in detrimental ways? Do they leave you feeling manipulated or bad about yourself after every encounter? If so, you’re probably wondering how things got to be this way. Despite your positive attitude and approach to life, you find yourself unexpectedly surrounded by negativity.

It might not occur to you that some of your strongest positive attributes may actually be attracting toxic people. These people may subconsciously feel threatened by your strengths, or they may just see you as an easy target. Either way, they will attempt to undermine or control you by limiting your peace of mind, happiness or success.

It’s important to understand that every character strength has what is commonly called a “shadow side.” When used too liberally, our strengths can become weaknesses and also make us more susceptible to toxic people.

I’ve experienced [Read more…]

7 Ways to Protect Your Peace from Other People’s Negativity

09.06.2026 by Angel Chernoff // 14 Comments

It’s tough to live a positive life around negative people.

Dealing with other people’s negativity can be quite a downer. I once had a coworker whose negative energy would wash over me on a daily basis. In our conversations, she would complain endlessly about everything — work tasks, family obligations, friendships, her weight, and anything else she could think of. She was also extremely cynical about others, often doubting their intentions and judging them harshly. Talking to her wasn’t a pleasant experience, to say the least.

The first time we had a meeting I felt completely drained. Even though we spoke for just 30 minutes, I barely had any energy left after our conversation. It felt as if someone had literally sucked the life out of me, and it took a couple hours for the effects to wear off. The same thing happened the next few times we met too. I quickly realized I needed to work out an action plan to deal with this kind of negativity. After all, she was not going to be the only negative person of this magnitude I was going to encounter in my life.

I gradually developed several key strategies for effectively dealing with other people’s negativity. They have worked wonders in my own life over the years, and now Marc and I use them to assist dozens of coaching clients and course students we interact with on a weekly basis. I’m hoping you find value in them [Read more…]

6 Secret Habits Optimists Live By (and How You Can Be More Optimistic Too)

09.05.2026 by Marc Chernoff // 18 Comments

It’s a good day, to have a good day.

If the grass looks greener on the other side…

Stop staring.

Stop comparing.

Stop complaining.

And start watering the grass you’re standing on.

Truly, the most powerful weapon against stress on the average day is our ability to choose one thought or response over another. I was reminded of this today when a reader named Sarah sent me the following in an email (I’m sharing this with permission):

“I sat down with my two daughters, ages six and eight, this afternoon to explain to them that we have to move out of our four-bedroom house and into a two-bedroom apartment for a year or two until I can find another job and build our savings back up. It’s a conversation I’ve been avoiding for over a month, as I’ve struggled with [Read more…]