In the normal course of my work I see many people who feel they have lost their way and are struggling with different aspects of their lives. Often my clients feel they are facing insurmountable hurdles to achieving wellbeing and a sense of fulfillment in their lives. Interestingly, sometimes their problems can be readily addressed with a short intervention and providing relevant education on the issue at hand. With this in mind, I decided to package up some of the key concepts and actions I believe will help in coping with modern day pressures and problems and present it in a comprehensive and accessible self help guide. The book includes ideas and strategies based on more than 25 years of experience, combined with latest research. From feedback sought from a range of counselling and coaching clients, there appeared to be a need for this concise and reader friendly book. It will ‘kick start’ readers towards taking action to achieve balance in their lives and to build the resilience required to enable them to adapt to the constant pressures and changes that occur in today’s world. Doing so will help them derive greater meaning and purpose on a day to day basis, which in turn will lead to a happier and more fulfilling existence. ‘Learn to dance on a moving carpet’ is an analogy for the need to find balance in a fast paced and rapidly changing world. This book is a quick ‘go to’ guide for dealing with many common challenges in modern life. Understanding these will help readers to refocus their attention and stand stronger in a moving world. The book adopts the premise that life is like a moving carpet and dance is a metaphor for the journey through life. We need to be able to stand steady despite the shifts and shakes in its rhythm. If we become more self aware, flexible and open to new experiences, we will more readily learn what often turn out to be quite simple strategies to cope with life’s unexpected twists and turns. As a result we are more likely to find meaning in what we do and create for ourselves greater strength and ability to live our lives. We will also develop a greater feeling of wellbeing and may even discover a sense of happiness. The chapters in this book provide the foundations for positive change and the exercises included will help those who wish to embrace these ideas. Experience has demonstrated that making some small changes in the areas covered can have a huge impact on overall wellbeing. Sometimes there can be a ‘snowball effect’ resulting in a virtual avalanche of positive effects over time. Revisiting the concepts and strategies presented in this book from time to time will help to continue lifelong growth. Jacky Dakin