| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | a change of heart | a shift in feelings or opinion |
| 2. | a new lease on life | renewed energy or purpose |
| 3. | a step in the right direction | progress toward a good outcome |
| 4. | a work in progress | still developing and improving |
| 5. | at a crossroads | facing an important decision |
| 6. | at the turning point | at a moment of major change |
| 7. | back to square one | return to the starting point |
| 8. | bend but not break | stay resilient under pressure |
| 9. | bite the bullet | endure something difficult bravely |
| 10. | bounce back | recover quickly from difficulty |
| 11. | break the mold | do something in a new way |
| 12. | bury the hatchet | end a conflict and reconcile |
| 13. | change tack | adopt a different strategy |
| 14. | change your tune | adopt a different attitude |
| 15. | clear the air | resolve tension by talking |
| 16. | close the book on | finish and move beyond something |
| 17. | come into your own | reach full potential |
| 18. | come to terms with | accept a difficult reality |
| 19. | cut your losses | stop before things get worse |
| 20. | cut your teeth on | gain first experience doing something |
| 21. | draw a line in the sand | set a firm boundary |
| 22. | dust yourself off | recover and try again |
| 23. | earn your stripes | prove yourself through effort |
| 24. | every cloud has a silver lining | good can come from bad |
| 25. | face the music | accept consequences of actions |
| 26. | find your feet | become confident in a new situation |
| 27. | find yourself | discover your identity and purpose |
| 28. | gain ground | make progress relative to others |
| 29. | get a grip | regain self-control |
| 30. | get ahead | advance and succeed |
| 31. | get back in the saddle | resume after a break or failure |
| 32. | get back on track | return to progress after setbacks |
| 33. | get somewhere | make progress toward a goal |
| 34. | get your act together | become organized and responsible |
| 35. | go places | be likely to succeed |
| 36. | go with the flow | accept events without resistance |
| 37. | grow on someone | become more likable over time |
| 38. | growing pains | difficulties during development |
| 39. | hang in there | endure and keep trying |
| 40. | hit the ground running | start quickly and effectively |
| 41. | hit the reset button | start over and try again |
| 42. | hit your stride | reach a productive rhythm |
| 43. | keep at it | persist with steady effort |
| 44. | keep moving forward | continue progressing despite setbacks |
| 45. | keep on keeping on | continue despite obstacles |
| 46. | keep the faith | remain hopeful and committed |
| 47. | keep your chin up | stay hopeful during hardship |
| 48. | keep your head above water | manage to cope and survive |
| 49. | learn the hard way | learn through painful experience |
| 50. | learn the ropes | learn how things work |
| 51. | leave the past behind | stop dwelling on earlier events |
| 52. | leave your mark | have a lasting influence |
| 53. | let bygones be bygones | forgive and move forward |
| 54. | live and learn | gain wisdom through experience |
| 55. | make a comeback | return to success after decline |
| 56. | make peace with | accept something you can’t change |
| 57. | make the best of it | cope positively with circumstances |
| 58. | make your mark | achieve recognition and impact |
| 59. | meet halfway | compromise to reach agreement |
| 60. | mend fences | repair a damaged relationship |
| 61. | no pain, no gain | effort brings improvement |
| 62. | on the cusp | about to enter a new phase |
| 63. | open a new chapter | begin a new phase |
| 64. | open your mind | become more receptive to ideas |
| 65. | own up to | admit responsibility honestly |
| 66. | patch things up | repair a relationship or situation |
| 67. | pay your dues | work hard before success |
| 68. | pick yourself up | recover after failure |
| 69. | practice makes perfect | improve through repeated practice |
| 70. | pull yourself together | regain composure and control |
| 71. | push the envelope | extend limits and try more |
| 72. | raise the bar | set higher standards |
| 73. | reinvent yourself | change your identity or direction |
| 74. | ring the changes | vary things to avoid sameness |
| 75. | rise from the ashes | recover stronger after disaster |
| 76. | roll with the punches | adapt to difficulties as they come |
| 77. | Rome wasn’t built in a day | big results take time |
| 78. | shift gears | change approach or pace |
| 79. | slow and steady wins the race | consistent effort beats haste |
| 80. | smooth things over | reduce conflict and restore calm |
| 81. | start from scratch | begin again from the beginning |
| 82. | stay the course | continue on the chosen path |
| 83. | step up to the plate | accept responsibility and act |
| 84. | stick it out | persist through a hard situation |
| 85. | switch gears | change speed or focus |
| 86. | take a turn for the better | change to a better situation |
| 87. | take baby steps | make progress in small stages |
| 88. | take it one day at a time | handle change gradually |
| 89. | take it up a notch | increase intensity or quality |
| 90. | take the bull by the horns | face a problem directly |
| 91. | think outside the box | use creative, unconventional thinking |
| 92. | turn over a new leaf | start fresh with better behavior |
| 93. | turn the corner | begin to improve after trouble |
| 94. | turn things around | reverse a bad situation |
| 95. | undergo a sea change | experience a major transformation |
| 96. | up and coming | likely to become successful soon |
| 97. | up your game | improve performance and effort |
| 98. | uproot your life | make a drastic life change |
| 99. | weather the storm | survive a difficult period |
| 100. | wipe the slate clean | forget past faults and restart |
