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Worse And Good

Bad things happen. Learning how to deal with them properly could mean the difference between defeat and development.

One of the things that may help you when a 'bad' happens is to focus on worse case scenarios or in layman's terms ask yourself, "What could be worse than this?" Think for a moment about how much worse things could be. Yes, I hear you and "No", your situation could be worse. Really. Realizing that things could have gone really bad releases gratitude that will erode some of the grief you may be experiencing.

On the other end of the spectrum, you could purposely express thanksgiving and gratitude for the good you do have for even in the darkest night of your soul, there are stars of blessings twinkling, no matter how small they seem to be. Acknowledging blessings can be a blessing in and of itself says Sandberg in her book Option B. She shared about an experiment where people who made a weekly list of five things they were grateful for were significantly happier and reported fewer health problems.

Count your blessings in your loss and grief. When a 'bad' happens, look for the many 'good' that is also happening simultaneously; identify them, name them and thank God for them. Here is what Sandberg wrote: Counting blessings can actually increase happiness and health by reminding us of the good things in life. Each night, no matter how sad I felt, I would find something or someone to be grateful for.

So the next time you experience a 'bad' ask yourself these two questions:
  • What could be worse than this?
  • What is the one thing or person I can be grateful for today?
It could be worse. Good things and people have not stopped happening. In my life. And yours.

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