Sometimes I get grouchy, downright grumpy. I get in these moods and pretty much everything ticks me off. Every time I open the fridge, something dumps out all over the floor. My pile of laundry is forever growing larger, overwhelming me every time I open my closet. My bathroom sink leaks with a constant drip, drip, drip.
As I opened my kitchen cabinet today, and a box of cereal jumped out at me, left there by a harried husband, something hit me like a ton of bricks.
My cabinets are overflowing with food. Packaged and accessible to my entire family when we’re hungry. Granola bars, cereal, we have an entire cabinet dedicated to chips and crackers. My fridge is full of fresh fruit and milk. Eggs and all the makings for sandwiches. There are people all over the world who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. People starving to death…and here I am griping that I have too much food? So much that it sometimes dumps in the floor when I open the cabinets.
On the floor of a home that I own, by the way. One that has electricity and air conditioning. And running water.
That sink that is drip, drip, dripping- it gives me access to clean cold and hot water. Any time I want it- on demand. Drinkable water. Water to clean up with. Water that I sometimes let run when I’m brushing my teeth. There are over 780 million people on our planet that don’t even have access to clean water, and here I am complaining about a dripping faucet.
And that ever growing pile of laundry means I have more clothes than I need. Clothes for every style and season. Heavy clothes to keep me warm. Clothes that help me keep cool. Not to mention a ridiculous amount of shoes.
Perspective.
All I need to change my bad attitude is to take a look around and see how blessed I truly am.
I’m not saying it’s not okay to sometimes get overwhelmed by daily chores and that our problems don’t matter. But, I needed this reminder. This attitude adjustment. A different way to view my surroundings, to get me out if this slump. To remind me to smile and be thankful for what I have.
I have a new appreciation for all of my belongings. That chipped paint on the wall means I have a house. That dirty toilet I’m scrubbing means I have somewhere to go to the bathroom- three in fact. Those sticky fingerprints covering all of our furniture means I have a healthy child to chase.
When you’re feeling tired of everything, feeling bummed and down in the dumps, take a look around. See things from a different point of view, and remind yourself that sometimes all you need to help you regain your joy, is a little perspective.
How do you find your joy when life is overwhelming?
