Let’s not kid ourselves, this life is tough. There are those with problems ’cause they’ve got no money and those with problems ’cause they’ve got too much; and those in between, who are wondering if they’re maybe not better off, but have heaps of problems anyway. We have health concerns, concerns about our kids, difficulties making enough money or difficulties spending less. We argue with our spouses, or we’ve just lost our jobs or we don’t like the new one we’ve just got. We’re sad, or we are faking that we’re happy, and everyone seems better off than we are in some way or the other. It seems like a mess, a big hopeless mess! I think there is a truth here, and that is in the world, we will have troubles. This is without a doubt a universal truth, and isn’t helping us out one bit here, but it’s a good start. If we know things are going to be difficult, then there is little point in hoping to have it all together and for everything to always be a-ok. So what now?
I’m no psychology scholar here but who can live like this? There must be something we can do to turn it all around and find hope despite the obvious. I’ve been keeping my mind and eyes open to things that can help to get us thinking the right way, despite feeling it’s all going wrong. These ideas might not solve the dispute with your husband, or add some zeros to your bank balance, but they may buy you enough sanity to put some real effort into making a difference in those area. It’s amazing what you can do when your attitude is right.
The first thing to do is to take control of your thinking. When your thoughts always seem to come out negatively, you need to put a positive spin on your thought processes. Your situation doesn’t have to be ‘the end of it all’, but could be the start of a new work opportunity, or a better salary, or some introspection that could end an argument and inspire you to change your perspective or belief or value. There is good in ANY situation if you look for it, and pursue it. Something I’ve recently started adding to my daily routine, when I make a quite time for thoughts and prayers, is to write a gratitude journal. I write down several things every day that I am grateful for and when I focus on them, I realise what adds value to my life and think and act on them, and that is a great way for me to be turning negatives to positives.
Another thought I’d like to share, is that of taking things a day at a time. This is something that was placed on my heart a while ago that has been so valuable to me. I cannot let my thoughts live in the past, because that is done and if I focus all my attention on the future, worry, and confusion and pressure seem to mount. But dealing with the new day God has given me, sets me up with the idea that today is a gift, that I can and must make the most of it and its opportunities. The day in isolation seems somehow manageable and emotions spent on the day seem more controllable. Should I ‘mess things up’ today, I take the lessons from it, acknowledge I didn’t achieve all I could have, and look forward to a new, gracious day. I’m now NOT a failure, I’ve simply failed at something, and the new day is chance to make it right and move on.
We can all agree that life stretches us daily, but there IS good to be found, and with the right outlook, and desire to learn, acknowledging what is already amazing about your life, and looking for more everyday, it makes logical sense that negativity should start to fade as the bright lights of the positive begin to shine.
We all experience difficulty from time to time and we need help; we will struggle to do this alone. Watch the video that follows, and get a greater understanding of how you can forge a new path, one that can bring joy and peace and hope, in spite of those difficulties.