I believe it is fair to say that each one of us is being touched or even struggling in one way or another in these unstable financial times and in that, there leaves very little choice but to accept where we are. It is not a cop out nor it is living in a fantasy world if we choose to not spend our days wringing our hands in dismay.  We simply need to look back on the very history of our country's basic economic ups and downs but to discover that yes, even our ancestors made it through some very trying times. We are, though a generation of our own, their off spring, living proof that many lives continued even in the direst of circumstances. Life goes on and as we have seen, even flourishes so why believe this is the end of the world?  Yes, some will lose their homes.  Yes, some will lose their jobs, for now.  May I repeat, FOR NOW.  It is not a life long sentence.  It is temporary.  Although home as we have known it may cease to exist, the truth of the matter is that another place will be found to call home, even if it turns out to be an apartment or just a room in someone else's home.  Home is where the family is, after all, not how many amenities it has or what neighborhood it is in.

It is my belief that if we continue to wallow in the dooms day broadcasts, we will be inflicting upon our spirits a daily dose of just what it doesn't need to hear.  It is time to be more conscientious about our own morale for thinking clearly can only come from a positive attitude.  Is your cup half empty or is it half full?  It is a very important question!  Can you find gratitude in something such as having your family around you, living differently, but no matter what's going on in the outside world, still together? Can you be grateful that you have something to eat every night?  Can you enjoy, or learn to enjoy, the pleasure of a good card game around the kitchen table as entertainment instead of lavish dinners out?  Can you be appreciative of a brisk walk outside or the sound of a bird singing a morning song? There are countless pleasures available to us at all times if we but take the time to see them.  Try beginning each day with a list of 10 things to be grateful for even if all you can come up with might only be appreciation for the toothpaste on your toothbrush or the soap on your wash cloth!  The point is to start somewhere and once you get momentum, this exercise will become quite easy.  This one action keeps the spirit headed in the right direction plus amazing things start to happen.  Needs and wants seem to be met without a great deal of effort.  Doors start to open and magic walks through!

Our country is experiencing a major wake up call, not all that different from the one each of us is experiencing as individuals.  It is a time to turn our attention away from materialism and back to the basic foundation of family, love and the human spirit.  No doubt about it, the seas are going to be pretty rough for a while.  However, we are the captains of our own ships and it is our duty to steer the rudder in the direction of change, in the direction of reorganizing and prioritizing, in the direction of all the good things in life that are still free.  If we concentrate on the good in our lives, more good will come. It is law. If we choose instead to concentrate on the bad, well, guess what? More bad will come. Again, it is law. Choose to not just endure but accept the changes in appreciation.  It is the acceptance that takes away the damage a stubborn ego can create.  Be grateful for any and all things.  Gratitude is the ultimate magnet in bringing a person their deepest desires. 

Change the attitude or just endure, it is your choice.