When you encounter people who rub you the wrong way, Dr. Robin says you're in the perfect place to learn a new life lesson. "Figure out, what are these people doing in our lives?" Dr. Robin says. If you're stuck next to a disagreeable relative at a dinner party, maybe you are being taught how to be gracious, Dr. Robin says. "The universe sent someone tailor-made to teach you something—not about them, but about you," she says.

The same is true when you meet people you enjoy or situations that please you. Dr. Robin says you should take note and learn a lesson about the good things in life as well. To get value from these everyday encounters, Dr. Robin says it's key to view them as lessons. "You've got to slow yourself down and actually decide that you are going to be a student of the universe and you are going to learn whatever it is for your own good, your own growth and your own liberation," she says.