Count Your BlessingsBy Dan Robey

Here is a great new habit..make it a habit to take inventory of the good things you have been blessed with on a regular basis.

What do I mean by that?

Here is an example. Quite often I get emails from people who are depressed. For health reasons, or relationship reasons, financial reasons, or something else, they feel miserable and very unhappy. But, when they take stock of what they actually have they quickly realize that they are fortunate and blessed in many ways.

There are several assumptions that I can immediately make when I receive an email from such a person as described above.

*The ability to send an email means that it is very likely that they either own a computer or have access to one. Count that as one blessing. You see, there are millions, upon millions of people in this world that do not have computers, nor access to them.

They are blessed by having access to the largest source of information ever available to mankind...the internet. They can now find information to help solve their problems, be it health, financial, or otherwise. The millions of people who do not have access to this vast knowledge pool called the internet cannot do what they can do…….they are fortunate……. very fortunate.

• It is also very likely that the person sending the email message has a roof over their head. You see, computers do not hold up well in the rain. Again, there are millions of people living in huts, or temporary shelters. There is a great quote from Eddie Rickenbacker, a fighter pilot in WWII who had to ditch his plane in the ocean. Eddie and his crew floated on a raft for 3 weeks in the ocean without food, or fresh water. When they were finally rescued, Eddie said, "for the rest of my life, if I have a roof over my head and food, I will never complain about anything."

• The person that is sending the email is obviously literate..they know how to read, write and type. Do you know how many people there are in this world who do not know how to read? Again, another blessing added to their list.

It is amazing what we can learn about a person just by receiving one email from them.

Here is an exercise you should do on a regular basis, make it a new positive habit. This is a kind of personal inventory of your blessings.. keep it private and close for reference.

Make a list on a notepad, call it your "blessings list." Place a "Yes" next to each question about your life that is good and a "No" next to an area of your life you feel is bad right now.

Do you have a spouse?

Is your spouse supportive?

Do you have a family?

Is your family supportive?

Do you have children?

Are your children supportive?

Do you have a home?

Do you have a job?

Do you like your job?

Do you go to a church?

Is your church supportive?

Do you have faith in God?

Do you live in a country where it is possible to increase your education and get a good job?

Do you have a positive attitude?

Do you have access to books that can teach you how to improve your attitude?

Are you motivated?

Do you have access to books that can teach you how to be more motivated?

Is your health good?

Do you see now how this is going? Even for the areas where youindicated "No" there is probably a "Yes" next to the question asking you if there is a knowledge source or support group that can help you change that "No" to a "Yes."

It is amazing how often we take for granted the blessings that we have. This exercise can help anyone who is down and depressed about life. Pass it on to others who you think may need it.

Dan Robey

www.thepowerofpositivehabits.com