Here's a program that can grant you $10,000 for your fresh start!

Vivian Manning-Schaffel: It's not news that times are tough. Everywhere you look, every headline you read, the financial crisis has forced many folks into stagnation in one way or another -- whether they've lost their job, are stuck in a gig they can't stand, or have to cut back on extraneous expenses, like gym memberships.

Change expert Ariane de Bonvoisin, author of "The First 30 Days," has joined forces with Carefree and Johnson & Johnson to launch Fresh Start, a promotion that grants between $1,000 to $10,000 to women seeking a fresh start in life, be it a long-foregone gym membership, a new business venture, or a new opportunity for their families.

De Bonvoisin says that having the courage to navigate change can especially be challenging for moms, but is a crucial example for children. "Parents are either a warning or an example for their children in every single thing they do. Change is an inevitable part of life, and one of the key principles of success is navigating change. The more children can see how their parents navigate change, the more at ease they are with it."

The first step in initiating change is figuring out what needs to change. Then, de Bonvoisin says, you have to get to the why: "If your reason why isn't strong enough, you might not do it. Most women quit smoking when they find out they're pregnant. Why? Because they have a strong reason. That's what creates the motivation. Then be present, set an intention, and set your internal GPS in its direction."

She also says, as challenging as it may be, that maintaining a positive attitude is key. "People who are good at change are optimistic," says de Bonvoisin. "They don't beat themselves up. They have positive beliefs about themselves. They are like woodpeckers: They grab a tree or whatever their fresh start is and peck away at it until the tree finally falls. You have to keep going. Change feels superhuman, but it's not."

We're giving away five copies of "The First 30 Days." Enter to WIN!

Vivian Manning-Schaffel has written for Babble, Parenting, The Advocate, The New York Post, Business Week and a variety of other publications and lives and works in the heart of breeder Brooklyn with her husband and two kids. She authors two pop culture blogs: The Mad Mom and A Hag Supreme, and is on the web at vivianmanningschaffel.com.