The document emphasizes the importance of recognizing and counting one's blessings to combat feelings of unhappiness. It encourages individuals to take inventory of positive aspects of their life, such as access to technology, education, and supportive relationships. Suggesting a personal exercise to create a 'blessings list,' the author illustrates how maintaining perspective can foster gratitude and improve mental well-being.

1. Count Your Blessings
By Dan Robey

2. 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.

3. What do I
mean by that?

4. 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.

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

6. *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.

7. 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.

8. • 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."

9. • 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.

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

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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?

14. 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?

15. Do you see now how this is going?
Even for the areas where you
indicated "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."

16. 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.

17. Dan Robey
www.thepowerofpositivehabits.com