Once upon a time there was a person who wanted a Better Life.

The COVID-19 virus is wreaking havoc on people’s mental health. The figures speak for themselves: according to the pan-European study of mental health commissioned by the AXA Foundation, 22% of Europeans said they had poor mental health in the wake of the pandemic. Sadness, depression and anxiety accounted for 52% of cases, followed by partnership crises (11%) and panic attacks (11%). According to McKinsey & Company, 41% of Europeans and Americans also reported feeling a “loss of control of their lives.” This figure increases to 75% among young people aged 18 to 24.“Your thoughts, my thoughts, our thoughts are like seeds; a starting point, a beginning. Without realising, we water them and plants grow. We look after them and they grow bigger until they eventually bear fruit. The fruit is our actions, what we actually end up doing or saying. […] When we try to change something in our lives we typically focus our efforts on changing the fruit, the visible results or actions, instead of focusing on the seeds.”This simple and practical book aims to show you how to choose thoughts that help you to live a better life. If some of the ideas I’ve shared in this book help you, I’ll feel I’ve achieved my purpose. In the end, YOU are the protagonist.Once Upon a Time There Was a Person Who Wanted a Better Life... is a down-to-earth tool to help people enjoy life more by choosing more powerful thoughts. Developing the strength to choose the thoughts we have in each moment is vital to achieve a renewed sense of personal well-being. As Santiago Álvarez de Mon observes in the prologue: “The author adopts a friendly, warm and personal tone to encourage readers to open their eyes and find their own way to achieve a new state of calm and inner strength.” María José is an executive coach, facilitator and conference speaker devoted to the fulfilling task of advising individuals and teams from diverse backgrounds at a national and international level. In line with her humanistic approach, the purpose of this book — promoting well-being for all at all ages — reflects the terms of Sustainable Development Goal 3 set by the United Nations under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.