I can relate!!!

If it wasn't for Wade, insisting that I be more positive, I would be going insane right now...but! (And this is a BIG but)!

Everyone here has mentioned thinking more positively, and I know that that is really, really hard right now. It feels like God has it in for you, doesn't it??? Well, actually, God can be the answer, and is NOT the problem. How? I used to think about how this person or that had more than me, etc., etc., and I discovered that I was always comparing myself to others. Are you doing that??? If you are, stop!!! Now, think of God as the "Resource of All Things!" for He is...When you are down and out, He may just be waiting for a green light from you. Honestly, I mean think about Him as the supplier of ALL YOU NEED, and start asking for what you need...

There is a catch, of course (when isn't there a catch???). The catch is this: You have to say "Thank You" for EVERYTHING you DO have as of now! I had a friend who had a problem with gratitude...she said that when she started to think of things to be grateful for, she thought of her thumbs, and said, "Thank you for my thumbs; I would not be able to do the tapes on my baby's Pampers without them..." Make a list, and praise God for every little thing you can think of- and say a big thank you...That's the catch, but it is really a fair one. Here's my list:

I have a roof over my head.

I have clean, radioactive-free air to breathe...

I have four good kids, three of whom are going to college and doing well.

I have people who care about me and love me.

I have a relationship with a great guy!!!

I have (some) food.

I have terrific pets who keep me company.

I enjoy Inward Quest, and writing for IQ has led to a paid writing job (very exciting!).

I have all my body parts save for an artificial left knee, which has no pain.

You can get the drift. Do this, and see if you feel better.

Now, back to Wade...he kicked me in the butt, pointed out how negative I was, and since I have turned it around, I feel great. I really do, despite being broke and having no gas for my car. I have placed my trust in God completely. Totally and completely!!

Try this, and see if you don't turn it around, too.

Blessings, Jai

I play the change your perspective game. Your state of being is not itself in and of itself. It is only what you are comparing it to compared to previous experiences.

You are down and out because you were once up and in (lol)financially and spiritually. But that is only due to comparison not fact. How would you view life right now if (god forbid) if you and your family just nearly survived a big disaster and everyone survived? And lived. You would be very grateful and happy to be alive. Yet that scenario is worse than this one now. So comparative you have it even better now.

The bottom line I have learned is we are responsible for the state of mind we are in by choosing the perspective to look at life with. You might ask "why would I choose despair?" Well, it's not so much that you chose despair but that choose not to leave despair. This is not easy but constant mindful practice to where your head is at and what perspectives you have chose leads you to accept more responsibility for you state of mind. Choose to be grateful for what you do have knowing it can always be much worse. Be forever grateful for being in the now. When you are in the perfect "Now" you also see comparatively that everything is good and you are so fortunate to be alive.

Take responsibility and Perspective.

As Michael so rightly pointed out the only way to feel better is to change your perspective. Begin by looking for things you can truly appreciate... no matter how down and out you feel when you begin to look for things to appreciate you will be surprised at how much in your life you do have to appreciate.

It's a bit of a double edged sword... you want more than anything right now to feel better and open up a financial flow. However as long as you are noticing how rotten you feel and how little you have... you'll just continue to attract more of the same. Finding little things in your life to appreciate and feel good about will gradually change your point of attraction - it will take a little effort and consistency on your part but with repeated effort you will begin to notice things will change.

Find little ways that you can uplift someone else. It may be as simple as a friendly smile or a kindly word but you will begin to set into motion a flow of giving and receiving which will come back and benefit you. However do make sure that the giving is always done with an open heart and no expectations . I think giving anonymously without expecting any recognition or reward is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and others and it feels so good. There are always ways to give if you just look for them. And the more you focus on helping others the more you forget your own problems and solutions begin to show up.

Get out of your mind and find ways to keep busy. Yo can turn it around :)

You can also use Abraham's process of Positive Aspects or Stingray's Focus Blocks method

I think it was on InwardQuest that I saw a suggested self-talk when you don't know how to change your circumstances, but you KNOW you have to and want to raise your vibration. It goes like this: "Man, is it going to be great when I figure this out!" (apologies to whoever first posted that) I think it works pretty well!

I had a really tough childhood. I chose however, to look for the positive in every situation. I made a choice to be happy in whatever situation I was in. At times I have forgotten, but I always come back around to remembering that. Recently I have found EFT. It has been very helpful in eliminating negative emotions right now, and from my past. There are videos online that can teach you very quickly how to do it. It is a fast and easy way to eliminate negative emotions, limiting beliefs, obsessive thoughts, guilt, fear and phobias, etc... It has helped tremendously in being able to choose to be happy. Being thankful for what is good and right in your life is what I used before. I would remind myself that things could be worse, which now I wouldn't recomend, because it focuses on the negative. I have learned that we need to focus on the good, not the bad, or even the it could be worse, but focus on the good and how good it could be.

I forgot to address the spiritual part. In the Bible it says to fear not for the Lord is with you, or just IS. Jesus said that just as the birds of the air are provided for, so are we. We don't need to worry for tomorrow, tomorrow will take care of it's self. It says to take captive every thought. It says to think on things that are good and beautiful and true. Whatever situation I just remember that God is good God is love and everything will be ok. EFT really helps here too. God gave me a song that I sing too to remind me and to get into that place of peace and thankfulness. I sing that when I remember to.

Hi Ann... I know how hard it is to just change your outlook or how hard it is to realize what you have vs what you dont have, when the weight of the bad outweigh the good. Or so it seems sometimes! I am gonna tell you what has worked for me, and I am glad you posted this because its a reminder to me to get back to it! What worked for me is self assurance with positive affirmations. It sometimes feels ridiculous to do these, but they really do work. You could write several down that you feel you need to work on, and every day say them to yourself. And when you do, dont just "say" them. Say them with feeling and really mean it. Make it a "moment" so to speak. Really think about what your saying and make it believable each time you say it. Picture it happening, and soon you will believe it, and manifest this in your life. I hope this helps.. and i totally understand about these feelings you have. Once you start the positive, it will bring about good things. It will help you become more confident in yourself too, and once that happens your spirituality will perk up as well! Blessings! D..

Well, I truely understand where you are coming from for I have a serious lack of finances but I have learned to trust Jesus for all things, to thank him like you would a friend for doing something for you, to thing postive and not dwell on the negative and see what I do haveto be thankful for you can walk, talk, sleep, wake up, you have someone some where that loves you, you can see, eat, your bodily function such as breathing, your intestines and bladder and kidneys doing their functions and that is good. Try to find the good in each day Jesus has given you things will get better and strengthen your spiritual faith in Jesus is one way to do it for Jesus has all power. I KNOW it is hard too not.think about the negative and the bad things trying to bring in the good things. As for me it is a continuious work in process. Sometimes I am hungry, but I put a smile on my face say a pray to Jesus and things get better. So, I am now trying to hold these postive thoughts of how much Jesus loves me and my family for he has brought us a long ways! STOP dwelling on the negative or bad look hard for your good and see your self with that. I am a serious work in proccess on getting financial things better! I need a new lap top right now among other things and I am focus that and a much bigger house.

Remember, whatever is happening to you is either an impetus for you to make a decision to want something better (i.e. when you will no longer tolerate the allowing of that circumstance and ask to see what is to be done next) or it is an opportunity to turn around and help others with the same problem and as a result feel better and possibly attract more into your life.

Jesus said, "blessed are the poor in spirit." And interestingly, scholars note that the most literal translation possible for the word usually rendered as "blessed" would be something to the effect of "congratulations".

He was basically saying this: "Congratulations if you're down and out; that means there's no where else to go but up! All that you can do now is grow and improve yourself."

Get in touch, and find what feels best--or at least better--to do, think, or feel, and continue from there. That is your life line from God.