Yesterday, I really needed an attitude adjustment. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. I was having a bad day. School didn’t go as I’d planned. The state of my house is distressing. I was having one of my usual bad hair days. My “to do” list was overwhelming. I never seem to get in a workout. The kids weren’t exactly listening to me. I really don’t like the coffee creamer I have right now. My school room isn’t finished, and I don’t really like the way it's arranged. I had a blog due, but I didn’t have anything to say. I needed to get bills paid. My laundry is piling up again. We don't have a car right now because its in the shop. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but we live in a small town with few services. If we run out of anything, we have to drive 20 minutes to get it. We’re practically stranded, and I don't like that at all. UGH!
See what happened? All these thoughts just snowballed. Even the little things, like my hair and coffee creamer, were stressing me out. Everything little thing I could think about was making me sad. I literally had to tell myself to snap out of it. What in the world do I have to pout about? Nothing! In view of others problems and struggles, these things are very minute. I am truly blessed, and instead of thinking of all the things I don’t have, I need to start thinking about all the things I do have. I need to be grateful for all God has given me. I 'm rich in bessings, and, instead of focusing on being thankful, I was caught up in a cycle of negativity that just wanted to drag me down, down, down. I decided this wasn't how I wanted to spend my day. Instead, I chose to find the positive in things, not focus on the negative. I chose to find joy.
Let’s look at a few things on my list again with a different, more positive outlook.
School didn’t go well … First off, I should be thankful that we have the ability, the resources, and the legal right to educate our children at home. Some days don’t go as well. That’s just a fact, whether it’s in here or a traditional school setting. Things don't always go the way we expect them to. As I thought about the day, I realized the kids finished everything they needed to for me. Plus, they did other, extra special things. Seeing that I was stressed out, they cleaned the kitchen, picked up a little around the house, and did some laundry. Later, Phillip volunteered at the food pantry, and Grace stayed home to help me. Does this really sound like an unproductive day? Not at all. My kids not only got their studies done, but they also showed they are honing their hearts to be servants and to care about others' needs, whether it be in our home or at the local food pantry. How can I be negative about that?
Bad hair day? … But, I have hair! In the past my health hasn’t been the best, and, at one time, I lost quite a bit of hair due to side effects of the medications I was taking. Then, when it began growing back, it came in really curly, so I had both straight and curly hair. I also gained a lot of weight, my face was very puffy, and I had bad acne. All the side effects of my meds. Take a moment to imagine that person? I didn't feel very pretty. My self esteem and confidence were at an all time low, but it gave me clarity. It taught me that you can't judge someone by the way they look. The way they look is not an indicator of their worth. Their heart is what counts. I remember people staring at me and saying things to me that were not kind, all because of the way I looked. I'm blessed to have learned that lesson, and I pray that I never judge someone else unfailrly or make them feel badly about things they can't control. Worrying about a bad hair day seems pretty petty now, doesn't it?
No workout … This is something I struggle with a lot. I just need to learn to be thankful that I can actually work out if I choose to. There are a lot of people that can’t. Medically speaking, there was a time when I was one of those people. At one point in my life, I had a debilitating muscular disorder, called polymyositis, that prevented me from moving as I’d like. Miraculously, I was healed. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I choose to be thankful for the ability to move.
Kids weren’t listening … This is also a tough one. It really irritates me when the kids don't listen, but, in reality, I should be thankful I even have children! When I was dealing with my illness, Ed and I were told we wouldn’t be able to have kids. That was a really hard thing to hear, and I had a tough time dealing with it. I prayed for healing and pushed hard to get off my medications. I even changed doctors to find someone who was willing to help me make that a reality, to even consider it a possibility. After I recovered, I was able to have two beautiful, healthy babies. Since then, I’ve suffered three miscarriages. After the last one, they ran some tests and my results showed that I have a severe B deficiency. Again I was told I should never have had any children. Yet, I am blessed with a daughter and a son. They are truly my miracle babies! Twice I’ve been told that they were an impossibility, yet here they are. I pray that I never again lose sight that my kids are a true testament of God’s hand in my life.
Paying bills/house not perfect/coffee creamer/car in shop … OK, these things are all related in my mind. It's part of that boulder picking up steam as your spiralling down and thinking of every little thing that's making you unhappy. But, that's not my reality. I’m lucky to have a wonderful husband that works hard to provide for us. Having a business of your own is never easy, but God has continued to bless him with business, clients, and new opportunities. We have money to pay our bills. We have a safe, warm environment to live in. We have plenty of food on our table. We have reliable transportation (most of the time, just not right now … J) There are so many with so much less than this, I’m almost embarrassed to admit my grouchiness of yesterday.
I hope all of this helps to prove a point. We have the power to look at our situation positively or negatively. The next time you are on that downward spiral, try to forget about all the things you don’t have and try to remember all the things you do have. Be thankful for your blessings. Choose to be happy. Choose to embrace joy. I guarantee it’ll turn your day around.
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