“Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional” I heard a young female paraplegic say.  Her words are humbling as the pain she speaks about, God forbid I would never have to experience.  It puts any of my struggles into perspective.

 

Recently I have been pondering this very topic of dealing with hardships but not in the physical sense but emotionally and in particularly within the current global economic situation.  No one really likes change but individually we all must face the reality that life is change.  Don’t you feel however the whole world and every person living is currently been forced to change together because of the times we find ourselves in?

 

Those who know me well, will testify that I am someone who ‘lands on my feet’ or who can change and move creatively in the hardest situations.  Very few people however will know that there is a period of time before my ‘creativity’ where I am a mess and will fight the need to change.  The blessing for me, is my years has provided past history  and knowledge.  I now know that once you except change as a gift or an opportunity, then eyes are clear to find really creative possibilities that would not have been visible before.

 

In my office at work I have been adding phrases or statements to my wall that I can regularly reflect upon.  The most recent addition to these proclamations is the phrase “Celebrate Life Now”.

 

Lately I have had the tendency to feel overwhelmed with the current times, because of the media hype and the changes at my company/work.  In these stressed, overwhelmed, anxious and sometimes melancholy times, I stopped myself and ask “What am I grateful for, at this very moment?” 

 

Sometimes the answer may be hard to find but I don’t allow myself to progress further into my day without a positive and honest answer.  Once my answer was that I was grateful for the sun shining on my back while another time I remember thinking that I was grateful to have comfortable shoes on today.

 

The answer always makes me smile and brings a lightness to my heart and outlook.