by Sam E. Jones

Created on: October 10, 2010

There’s an old saying, “happiness is a state of mind,” and it couldn’t be more true. I’ve had my share of ups and downs in life, one of the lows being when I was living in my car for a summer, and one of the highs being when I met my current wife. I’ve been poor, and I’ve been what some might call rich; I’ve also been so depressed at times that suicide seemed the best option. And of course, I’ve known joy, and happiness and even ecstasy at other times. And all of this has taught me that the one constant in life; the only one that truly matters is, hope.

If you’re heartbroken because your girlfriend dumped you, or because you’ve been caught doing something terrible and now must spend some time in jail; or if you’ve fallen out of love with your wife, or children, or maybe even your life; if you have some tiny bit of hope that things will improve then you can get through it.

It’s the same thing with being flat broke. It’s not fun, in fact, it can be a truly horrible experience, especially if you have children. Having no money can mean so many things to so many people. It might mean not being able to buy an iPad, or some new shoes to wear to the Prom, or it might mean not having anything more than ketchup and bread for a sandwich and some water to wash it down. It might mean having to go without the things that are important to you, or even those that are necessary to keep you going.

But no matter what; no matter how dire, or horrible and dismal your circumstances; if you have hope, you have the power to turn things around. Life is after all made up of moments; one after the other, and it’s how we use those moments that determine the next part of our life. While you or I might be flat broke right now, we might find a way to scrape together some cash tomorrow, or land a job before the rent comes due, or figure out a way to cut expenses, at least for a little while.

It’s hope that keeps people working for a better future; that keeps people from taking to living on the street, or jumping off a bridge. Its hope and some bit of optimism that gives people the strength to not only think of answers to their problems, but to figure out a way to overcome them.

So, if you’re looking for a way to cope with being flat broke, do a little soul searching and see if you can’t find a little hope of your own.

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