By BARTON GOLDSMITH, Scripps Howard News Service

Sometimes all we need to get through a dark time is a tiny bit of brightness in our lives. Getting that parking place right in front of the store, unexpectedly finding a $20 bill in the pocket of your jeans, or seeing a wisp of joy in the eyes of a loved one: little things like these can make a big difference in your day.

What happened the last time you just reacted without thinking?
Did you yell at someone who is important to you? Did it take several hours or days to recover and let things get back to normal? Did you think, in retrospect, that you could have chosen to respond differently?

The search for happiness has quickly become the most popular subject in psychology. I guess a whole bunch of people have decided it's not OK to just feel OK --and, with apologies, that's just not OK.

Difficulties and distractions are part of life, and they can't help but have an effect on our relationships. Instead of being ignored or argued about, they should be confronted head-on, and with an eye toward the future.

Confidence is within us all, but sometimes, when the world is throwing you constant curveballs, it can get lost. Remember these components of confidence the next time you are feeling less of it than you might like.

Scientists have discovered that there is actually a type of thinking function that goes on in our digestive tracts. It's called the enteric nervous system.

Changing the way you think can be very healthy. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a painful loss, like suddenly getting laid off or having your partner leave you. Making a significant transformation in your life, like getting clean and sober, also requires rewiring your thought processes. What happens then is you create new pathways in your brain that change the way you think and feel.

I'm thinking that there may actually be a higher purpose to Valentine's Day. If so, it may be to help us appreciate the love we have in our lives -- even if we're not in a relationship at the moment, or the one we are in isn't working out quite how we planned it.

Communication is the most important thing in any relationship. Unfortunately, many times we are unable to put into words what we feel in our hearts. Here are 10 things you can say to your sweetheart that will help you convey the depth of your love.

It seems counterintuitive, but when you're mad at someone you care for, the best way to deal with your unhealed anger is to talk about it. All too often, we don't feel like speaking to the person who has irritated us, no matter who it is. But clamming up or inappropriately venting will only cause more ill feelings.