Anyone had enough bad news lately about the economy? Layoffs, the stock market diving, bailouts, government debt, the housing crisis — all of it can add up to some pretty somber feelings. And the fact that it’s been going on for awhile now can drag anyone down. We’re not going totally Pollyanna on you, but we do share the sentiments of the Wall Street Journal that maybe we should stop complaining and be a bit thankful. Turns out that doing so could put you in the middle of a growing trend:

There may be a positive byproduct of our troubled times: a decrease in the urge to complain. People who still have jobs are finding reasons to be appreciative. (It feels unseemly to complain about not getting a raise when your neighbor is unemployed.) Homeowners are unhappy that home values have fallen, but it’s a relief to avoid foreclosure. And yes, our portfolios have plummeted, but most of us can say that at least we didn’t invest with Bernie Madoff.

Ok, so maybe you’re having trouble seeing any sort of silver lining in the current economy. Perhaps these two thoughts will spur a bit of gratitude:

* Maybe whatever bad news you’re dealing with is actually a blessing in disguise. You wouldn’t be the first person to start an ultimately successful career, business, investment, etc. in times of despair.
* You don’t have a job that stinks — at least as much as these jobs do. After all, can your crappy job really be much worse than being an animal semen collector, an odor judge, or a lift-pump remover? We think not.

So consider this our attempt at looking on the bright side of things. That’s what we’re going to do. At least until the next economic report comes out…

From Attitude to Gratitude: This Is No Time for Complaints [Wall Street Journal]

— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: TeaWhyEllieAre)

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