Being a Winnie-the-Pooh in an Eeyore World
by Keri Wyatt Kent
posted 4/09/2009
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It may feel silly, but for the next week find three things to be grateful for every day. When you do the laundry, be grateful for hot running water. When you walk to the mailbox to get all those bills, thank God you can walk. If you can't walk, be glad you can breathe. I'm sure most of you can do more than just breathe, but if it's all you can do, do it with a grateful heart.
This evening after dinner I sat in the living room reading. My daughter read on the couch. She sipped hot chocolate, I drank herbal tea. The dog lay on the floor. Our home was peaceful. In the quiet, I thought—thank you, God. I just appreciated that moment. It brought me joy in a quiet, simple way.
If gratitude is too much for you, start with something simpler: just listen to yourself. Are the comments you make on life mostly negative or positive? Not sure? Ask your spouse or an honest friend. Life has its disappointments of course. Do we dwell on those or focus on what's good?
The recession is the result of a myriad of complex factors. In such times, analysts talk a lot about "consumer confidence" or lack thereof. Before people will actually spend money, they have to have confidence that things will be alright. In other words, their perception of how things are affects how things actually are.
I think the same is true for all of us. The first step to changing our circumstances is changing our thinking.
God is with you in these difficult times. Believing this is the first step to getting through whatever you face. The second step is thanking him—for his loving presence, for the many small blessings in your life. Two simple steps, faith and gratitude, will move us toward positive thinking and positive actions.
Keri Wyatt Kent is the author of seven books, including Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity. This article originally appeared in her monthly newsletter. Learn more at www.keriwyattkent.com.
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