Strive for happiness in 8 steps despite obstacles

Happiness and success are what most people strive for in life, but there are many obstacles that can stand in the way of us obtaining them. On Friday and Saturday, MK Mueller, international trainer and author of the book ‘8 to Great,’ hosted a training workshop in the student center’s Bordeaux/Lakota rooms to help people discover the tools for being happy and successful in eight steps.

There were about 20 people who attended the ‘8 to Great Workshop’ from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday. Among those attending were teachers from Red Cloud, S.D. high school; Bayard high school; Spearfish, S.D. high school; and Billie Knifong, manager of residence life programs.

Knifong said that the workshop was split up into two days in order to have Friday be a day of training for those who want to be able to teach Mueller’s process. From 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, was also a part of the training session before the 1-4 p.m. session, for the trainees to teach a group of Pine Ridge Job Corps kids the eight steps to a positive change.

“I think anyone could benefit from this program,” Knifong said. “It could be life changing for people. It truly is for anyone and everyone.”

According Mueller’s website, her professional journey began for her when she was a high school teacher that had reached rock bottom and found herself in a domestic violence shelter. Since the changes Mueller went through she has been helping others learn the process to success through her trainings and workshops, along with her book ‘8 to Great’, published in 2009.

Mueller’s book has gone on to win two national “Best Self-Help Book of the Year” awards in 2010.

“We offer a process, most offer a list; we offer ingredients,” Muller said about her book, which is why she believes it has won those awards.

“The only thing keeping people back is thinking we can’t be happy. Stop worrying! Live in the present and forget the past,” Mueller said.