The bad old days?
MSN Money Central posted an article on their Smart Spending blog that draws from thoughts on coping with the financial crisis from a number of PF bloggers, including yers truly. It's been viewed nearly 20,000 times so far and quite a few readers found their way from there to here between yesterday and today. It's also sparked a lively debate in the comments section. Check it out if you have a chance; you might decide to dive into the fray.
In the meantime, a palpable sense of gloom and despair seems to be settling over the country right now. This seems like a good time to take a step back and think about the good things that are happening. Here's a challenge: can you think of ten things that are going well in your life right now? Take a couple of minutes and drop them in the comments if you can; it's cheaper than therapy and healthier than alcohol. Here are my ten:
1. I'm in the groove at work: I not only have a job, I have a job that I really, really like.
2. I got a promotion, which came with a nice bump in title, office, and pay.
3. I just got to spend a week with my family and a bunch of sea lions on the coast.
4. My mom is healthy.
5. Six months after my dad's death, we are all finally getting to a better place.
6. My SO is patient and does not give up easily.
7. I'm working at home on Friday.
8. I just got called up for jury duty, but I'm off the hook because I served less than six months ago.
9. It's autumn in New York, and the trees are only days away from exploding with color.
10. My friend's birthday is on Saturday, so there will be a dinner party.
My happiness tends to come not so much from big, flamboyant, life-changing events than little things in everyday life. During shaky times, I find that focusing more attention on the things that bring joy in little pops like that really helps.
Can't wait to read what other people have to say.
14 retorts. What say you?
Great post! Every once in a while I need a kick in the pants to formally take notice of the blessings in my life:
1. I am employed.
2. I also attend grad school full time, which is being paid by my employer.
3. Though I don't have the firm "yes" yet, there is a decent chance that my employer will begin to pay back my student loans (acquired during other degrees).
4. I just saw some beautiful pictures of my new niece.
5. My arms are full of tiny scratches: this reminds me of the precious new kitten that I adopted last week.
6. My family and I are healthy, well, and employed.
7. I am coming upon the 1-year anniversary of losing a loved one, and while I still miss her, it is getting easier, day by day, to remember the myriad of wonderful moments, and not always focus on her last two weeks, while I was by her bedside.
8. I live on the coast and am surrounded by some of the best Mother Nature has to offer.
9. New kitten will get to meet 2-yr-old cat in 5 days!! They are itching to get at each other.
10. I have been blessed with the gift of seeing heaven in the small, precious moments of this life: having a safe, warm, home, w/ my cats around me, curled up. The reassurance of their pitiful meows as they try and get me to feed them "once again". And the walks on the beach, the walks in the neighborhood... how precious life is, how precious our Earth is.
1) A wonderful marriage
2) Two sweet, silly, healthy cats
3) A satisfying job
4) My family is doing great. Everyone is in a good place.
5) Fall is coming! Sweater weather!
6) I am healthy.
7) I may be feeling a little chubby lately, but I'm grateful to have enough to eat.
8) We live in a sweet little town.
9) We are signed up for a 'murder mystery theater' on Halloween at an old B&B that is supposed to be haunted.
10) This time of year, when the weather cools off, everything feels so snuggly and cozy.
It's definitely important to remember what really matters in times like these.
1. I have an amazing daughter who is happy, healthy, and thriving in school.
2. I'm healthy.
3. My job is enjoyable, challenging, and 99% stable through rough economic times.
4. My family is fantastic. Best family ever!
5. I have great friends.
6. The autumn weather - so lovely.
7. I am able to keep a roof over my head and food on the table - quite important things as a single mom.
8. My parents are coming to visit next week, and I get to take a half day off work to hang out with them and be their favorite kid (out of 7) for a few hours.
9. I'm going to get to see my sister this weekend, which isn't that out of the norm, since she lives three blocks from me (another thing that I am grateful for!), but is still always nice.
10. Tonight, I am going to have a nice evening at home with my daughter and we're going to clean and then cuddle on the couch, catch up on some television, and eat some ice cream. THOSE moments are the moments that count.
I'm noticing a trend here:
1. Family
2. Food
3. Friends
4. Pets
5. Weather & Seasons
6. Overcoming adversity
7. Personal Growth (Work)
8. Social Service
9. Health & Healthy Habits
10. Recognizing Universal Beauty
I also notice how the acquisition of financial wealth doesn't really make it to the list further enforcing the theory that money can't buy much - but least of all happiness.
I too have felt the synchronicity of life in recent months. I have a lot to be grateful for. After losing my father 2 years ago in an automobile accident in South America, it took me a long time to realize it but I finally found a direction and a pursuit. I've since moved across country to the East coast to enjoy the foliage, the cradle of American Society, and great skiing. I've been many places and there is just nothing like Autumn in New England. Surreal. Can't really ask for much more.
Happiness is no accident. It is intentional and premeditated.
1. My mom and dad are still around.
2. I have a full-time job that i enjoy.
3. I have more freelance work than i can handle.
4. I have a great deal of quality time with my cat.
5. I have a trusty 9-yr-old Honda that averages 38 mpg due to the way i drive (hooray!)
6. I am well-positioned for a comfortable retirement, as long as i stay the course for another 11 years.
7. My health is good.
8. I am organized and disciplined, two traits that have served me very well in keeping on top of my personal finances.
9. I have a beautiful home filled with nice things.
10. My friends enrich my life.
Hmm a good exercise in positive thinking. Lessee...
1. I'm a newlywed so I'm still in that amazement stage. That's fun and exciting.
2. We finally finished off hubby's student loans.
3. Despite a lot of inner turmoil, I kept it together enough to go to a doctor when my depression started to worsen, before things got dire and talk to him about my medication levels.
4. The new levels are starting to even me out, I think.
5. My husband is a wonderful individual who accepts that I am a depressive and pretty calmly is there for me when I freak out at him or the world.
5. I'm (slowly) learning to live within my limitations and not spend all my energy fighting them. (I live with chronic fatigue, but am a Type A personality.)
6. I was in the housing market (with a loan I probably shouldn't have qualified for) but got out around four years ago. And it was enough to pay off my mortgage, my student loans (which was what the original downpayment was supposed to have been for) and pay back my mom who had lent me money.
7. I'm finally working a small part-time job, which means there's a light at the end of the tunnel of being on disability.
8. I'm still finding time to keep up the blog I started.
9. After only two months, I have 90 subscribers (yay!)
10. It's about to be the weekend! (OK that was a little lame, but you have to take the small things to heart, sometimes.)
Thank you for the many great responses, folks. Nekronomiv said it best: happiness is deliberate, and most of the time it has eff-all to do with money.
I find that really encouraging.
Hmmm.... dunno if i can come up with ten, offhand, but let's see:
1. I got a job interview, despite thinking I'm too old to have a chance at getting rehired.
2. My Beloved Employer will owe me $7,900 in vacation pay before taxes and deductions; net, that's a month & a half of take-home pay.
3. My son is wonderful.
4. The Little Dog is the cutest thing I've ever seen.
5. Summer heat is FINALLY breaking, and the weather is gorgeous.
6. My freelance business is getting a surprising amount of work.
7. With any luck, my country will see a real change of leadership in just a few weeks.
8. Yesterday I got a bunch of vegetable seeds into the ground, which should provide some food if I run out of money for groceries in the upcoming weeks.
9. My house is very nice, and it's paid off.
10. The layoff will mean I will be free of the horrid commute and of working for an institution for which I and most of my colleagues have no respect.
1. My home is paid off
2. Precious my eldest
3. Danilla the second
4. Aluciana the third
5. Aukxsona the fourth
6. Alestria the fifth
7. the one on the way
8. Our farm might just get started this year
9. I work at home at my choosing
10. I am in school.
1. Both of my beautiful sons (age 9 and 16) are healthy and happy.
2. I still have both of my parents with me, and I see them at least once a week.
3. I never thought I'd meet a beautiful match as great as my fiance.
4. I've been with my current employer for 10 years, and she openly values my employment with her.
5. I have FANTASTIC health insurance, a great 401(k), and a Roth IRA that was invested wisely.
6. My gov't customer is out sick today. All of my meetings were canceled. I hoped for a slow Monday at work and got it. Our Mondays are usually circus shows.
7. My ex-husband and I didn't have any social friends. My fiance and I have made several social friends together and we enjoy their company.
8. Having faith in the Word of God is also cheaper than psychologists and alcohol. LOL
9. I just got over the flu and I still have all 10 fingers. The dull roar that's left is more like a cold.
10. I just got a resume job and a web design job on the side. It should take a week - no more than 2 - to finish everything. The extra money will be a blessing.
Hawa, author of
Fackin Truth Blog (Personal Blog)
and
Cleanse Master Remix (Health Blog)
Thanks for the additional comments. It's mostly about family and friends, isn't it?
I couldn't agree more.
1. My boyfriend surprised me on his way to work with some amazing sunflowers :)
2. I'm working almost completely from home... finally!
3. I just landed the client of a lifetime... 3rd Eye Blind!
4. Its almost halloween... i'm a costume designer, so...
5. I woke up to kisses from my dog this morning :)
6. I got to see my dad this morning.
7. My room mate leaves tomorrow for 3.5 weeks!
8. The fog cleared out...
9. Mom's coming to visit this weekend!
10. My boy and I just celebrated our 1 year :)
This was a great post! What a great way to be grateful in life! I wanted to offer your readers a link to another blogger who is doing great work. He writes about our 'childhood money messages' and how the best approach to stability in today's market is to resist letting these emotions control our buying/selling habits. It is really fascinating work, and something you should all check out. His name is Spencer Sherman, and you can view his blog at http://www.curemoneymadness.com/blog.
Lacey - thanks for your input. It sounds like you have some nice things going on in your life.
Thanks for the link, but. . . you called it "our site" in your email, so I have to assume that you're the owner or have some other affiliation. Presenting it in the comments as just a nice site you know about in comes across as rather disingenuous. Feel free to clarify as you see fit.
Great to know that all hope is not gone! These are great comments to read, EVERYDAY!
1. Great and georgeous wife and with all my stumbles/maleness/Mars/one ear she is still with me
2. Great kids, not perfect but great in their own right
3. Great supporting family. Mom/dad healthy and love their family and been married going on 60 years. (Dad celebrated his 80th!)
4. Great father-in-law, i'm his second son
5. Great friends all over the world
6. Great job with good flex
7. Great house, 2 paid for cars and no pink slips in the mailbox
8. Money in the bank. Can't buy a Rolex but can buy food.
9. Healthy at 52 and getting stronger
10. Learning more about God being in my corner than in a religion!
Have some more but will leave room for others!
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