First I would like to say that I have always been a ‘glass is half full’ type of person. I always looked for the positive in a bad situation because even out of a bad situation, good can come if you let it. I would always help whenever I could without question. I did that by giving to those in need, donating to the school my daughter teaches at, paying someone’s rent, or buying a family groceries. I am a very giving and understanding individual. Although, I was not always that way, but that is another story.

For years, I had never lacked for money. Money would always flow in unexpectedly. When my savings was getting low, it was always replenished somehow. Sometimes it would be with an unexpected monetary award from work. Other times, someone whom I had given money to years before would give it back out of the blue. Just because they were in a good place and wanted to show their gratitude. They would not ‘repay’ me but gift me the money back. Good things always happened to me.

Then it all stopped in mid-March. On the 22nd of March, my 93-year-old grandmother, who raised me and was a mother to me, passed away. I was having a hard time dealing with the loss as this was the first time in my life I had lost anyone close to me. That in itself is a blessing because I am 52 years old. I was angry, sad, and some days mad. I stopped helping folks. I just stopped. I assisted with caring for her so I had a lot of guilt. I dwelled on what I could have done differently that could have possibly kept her with us longer. It was like a black cloud was hanging over me and it showed in my life. Things were shifting and not going in my favor and my appearance started to suffer.

Since my attitude and outlook were bad, by April I started struggling with job changes at work. I was put in a position that was not a good fit for me. In June I did not receive my monetary performance award. It somehow got lost in the paperwork. Mine was the only one that got lost in the paperwork out of 20 people on my team. My refrigerator filtered water and ice maker broke. Things just started to go bad really quickly.

In August I saw the book, The Secret, on my bookshelf. I then realized I had brought this on myself. I downloaded the apps and started reading. I realized that all those years that good things were happening to me was because I was happily giving as often as I could. I was grateful for the ability to give. I also realized that I should be grateful that I was able to assist with caring for my grandmother and that I gave her what she needed in her last years. I realized that I should be grateful that she lived a long life to the age of 93 and that she had a wonderful life. I realized that I should be grateful for the wonderful life she gave me when she raised me.

I instantly felt better and I daily started giving gratitude and feeling appreciation for everything in my life. Including the job I had been placed in.

Well, I can happily say that not much later, I was told that my job was being changed to the Instructional Designer Trainer position. That was a wonderful position and came with a promotion! At about the same time I received an email saying that my monetary performance award had been processed and I would receive it in my next paycheck.

I lost my way for a minute but thanks to The Secret I got things back in perspective. When negative and sad thoughts come into my mind pertaining to my grandmother, I stop, give thanks for the wonderful times we had together, and think happy thoughts.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!