There are messages that pop up over and over in my life.  God realizes I don’t always get them the first time, so he keeps on sending them.  And even when I do get the message, invariably sometimes I forget.  And then he sends another reminder.  We work well in that way, me and God.

The lesson I was reminded of yesterday was the one that says that you perpetuate that which you think you see. If you think your life is miserable, you notice all the things that make it miserable.  You use those to support your theory that life is miserable.  If, on the other hand, you acknowledge your miserable life but instead of looking for evidence to support it you start to notice places where it’s not miserable, things very well may turn around.  They may not, but it’s a lot easier to get through tough times when you’re recognizing, and giving thanks for, the good things.

I’ve been pretty good lately at acknowledging and giving thanks for what I have.  Mainly because I have committed to putting it to paper each night before bed: five things for which I’m thankful.  But on occasion, I’ll wonder what on earth I’m doing.  I’ll think I my life is miserable.  I have no regular job, no steady paycheck, no knowledge of where I want to settle.  I think I should just cash it all in; get a full-time job, a steady paycheck, buy a house – all those things you’re “supposed” to do.  Then I remember my friend Lois who wants to start a blog called “Who says?”  I can hear her in my head.  “Who says?” she asks.  “And by the way – since when do you like doing what everyone else is doing?”  Lois is not the only one who tells me this.  My friend Tara talks me off the ledge on occasion.  “Rebecca, you’ve done this successfully for ten years now,” she’ll remind me.  “You will find something to do next – you always do.”

Then I start to look around and recognize all that I have: a home I love going home to, a family I love to spend time with, a lifestyle that allows me to take a walk to the library at 10AM, a lifestyle that gives me the opportunity to take 6 weeks of vacation every year, a lifestyle that gives me new challenges, friends that love hearing what my next adventure is.

So here’s a thought.   If you think life is crappy, do me a favor.  Try thinking it’s not.  Then see all the wonderful things that come your way.  They were there all along, of course.  You just didn’t notice them before:)