Making your life worth living no matter what you have lost
(Photo by: M@rg.)
Times have been tough for many people recently.
Several people close to me have lost theirs jobs and their homes. Others that I know are on the verge of losing everything. I lost a ton of money fairly recently, and got way too close to losing everything. In these times, I think it is safe to bet that most of us have either recently gone through something tough, or know somebody that has.
It is easy to feel worthless when things go wrong, especially when you lose things you have worked for years to acquire. What do you do when you lose your nice new house, and move in to a little cheap house? Or your new car gets repossessed, and now you have to drive around in a little rusted Honda? As usual, much of how the situation will turn out depends on your attitude and thought process.
Is the glass half full or…
I don’t have to bring up all the old sayings to prove that point. It’s all how you think about it. Of course, you know that already. The question is, how do you make the best of a bad situation and turn it back in to good?
First, just realize that you have the power to change things.
You have the choice. Allow yourself to realize that this is your new life, at least for now. Find the things you really enjoy about your new life. Maybe you lost your high paying job. What good came out of that? Even though you make less money, do you have more time to do other things? Maybe you work less hours now. How about starting up an old hobby again? What about reconnecting with some old friends? Embrace what you have now, and working through the issues is so much easier.
Did you lose your house?
Maybe you were forced to move in to a much smaller house that you don’t like. Instead of hating it every day and not allowing it to feel like home, why not take some pride in what you have? Start some projects. If you are renting you can’t do any remodeling, but what about adding some new artwork to the walls? Or arranging the rooms differently? Even if you have very little money, how about buying some furniture from a flea market or a garage sale? It is really amazing how satisfying it can be to take a weekend searching for some bargains, and maybe even repainting the furniture or refinishing it. Your current situation will feel so much better if you sincerely take pride in what you still have. I know, I have been there. Make your house feel like home, even if it is not the place you always dreamed of living. Do things to make it feel better. Have fun while you do it.
Always remember that you are still alive, and things could be worse.
Remember that you have the power to make things change. Remember that even taking 10 minutes a day to make your life better will add up to major changes in just a few months. Set goals, and reach them. Remind yourself every day that you are capable. Remind yourself that people have gone through much worse and have come back from it. Never give up.
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