Be Thankful for What You Have Got

Did you know that the 911 equivalent in the UK (999) now has call waiting? I hope that you never find out for yourself.

Have you ever had to resuscitate someone? I sincerely hope that you haven't. Have any of your family spent time in hospital? If they have, I hope it wasn't for long.

Well, I have experienced all three of the above the following number of times in the last three years:

Held in a queue after dialling 999 - 4 times
Given resuscitation to my son - 6 times
Time spent at hospital bedside - at least 18 months

Oh, I almost forgot. We have also been told on no less than three occasions that it would be unlikely he would survive the next 24 hours.

Am I bitter? No. In a way, I'm grateful for the experience. I wouldn't be doing what I am doing now if it wasn't for my son. All of my priorities have been turned around because of him.

I could be one of those people who wallow in self-pity at how unlucky they are, or how unfair life is. I have chosen not to. I have chosen to take something positive out of the fact that my 3-year-old son is severely disabled, and will be for the rest of his life. I have quit my job to spend time looking after my family. I now spend more time with my wife, my son, and I can take my 6-year-old daughter to school every day. I have decided that life is there for living, and that money (although nice to have) shouldn't be the prime motivator for working.

I can also now appreciate how lucky I really am.

There are many families who have a 'special' child like ours, who is not as fortunate as my son. We are lucky that we have a healthy daughter. I am lucky that I have a wonderful wife. Being in this situation makes you appreciate the good things, instead of focusing on the bad things.

I envy families that can go on holiday together, who can play in the park together, or can go out for a meal together. The saddest thing is not what I haven't got, it is those who have got what I want not even realising the lucky hand they have been dealt in this game of life. Be thankful what you are able to do or be, and don't dwell on those things that you wish for. If you could realise how lucky you are, then your life will improve dramatically, just like mine. Be grateful that you have a roof over your head, electricity, television, and running water. There are a lot of people in this world who have none of these and end up becoming more successful than you or I.

If you can show gratitude for what you have, and use your energy towards attaining what you don't have, then you are on the first rung on the ladder to success.

To our Success !

About The Author

Gary Vurnum has left the corporate world behind to focus on helping others succeed. He uses the lessons he has learnt from surviving the life-or-death situations he has faced with his severely disabled son. Others may not want his life...but he is the happiest he has ever been. Send a blank email to sofsuccess@getresponse.com to get his free 4 part report on Success - "11 Reasons Why You Will Never Succeed" gary@scienceofsuccess.com

no-contract cleaning service Mundelein ..
In The News:

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.
Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.
FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.
New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.
OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.
Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.
New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.
DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.
Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.
Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.
Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.
A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

The Power of Positive Thinking - Turn a Bad Day Around!

Turn brutality into kindness. There is no small deed and... Read More

Condition or Definition?

In talking with a coaching client recently, she made a... Read More

Top Tips for the Temporary Move

Question: "It's only three months. Or six months. Or a... Read More

Optimism, the Only Option for Success

People with negative attitudes may wonder why they never achieve... Read More

My Sunshine

"You Are My Sunshine My Only Sunshine You Make Me... Read More

Positive Self Talk - What Should You Say?

How do you explain things to yourself? With positive self... Read More

Make a Personal Commitment to Change Your Life!

So, is this really where you thought you'd be? You're... Read More

Quick Steps To Improve Your Performance Though Positive Self-Talk

Want to improve your personal performance? Positive self-talk can help.Edward... Read More

Thinking Like A Winner

Since the beginning of human history we have been living... Read More

Keep Your Cool

Know your limits. Accept what you can't change and let... Read More

Failure is Only Feedback

Does the thought of failure send a cold shiver down... Read More

Accepting Change

Well I've finally done it...I turned my heat on. After... Read More

Management of the Almighty Anger

Apart form the Emotions and the attitude, Anger is a... Read More

I Know I Can, I Know I Can

I'm sure most of you remember the children's book about... Read More

Tips on Boosting Your Self-Confidence

How you feel about yourself truly does affect your interaction... Read More

Taking Yourself Too Seriously? - Suggestions for Reclaiming Your Perspective

"We can change our circumstances by a mere change of... Read More

Mind Games!

Have you ever been caught up in a thought that... Read More

Universal Mind

"There is an infinitely worthier subject for philosophers (to study)... Read More

Why Positive Thinking Doesnt Work!

There was someone I used to work with who, well... Read More

Accepting Rejected Thoughts

Sometimes we are in a position to look into the... Read More

How Our Thoughts Create Mental Bugs

Our thoughts define who we are. They can make us... Read More

Failure is Celebration Time

Failure is my favorite subject. For I have spent my... Read More

Your Frame of Mind May Determine Your Health

The mind absolutely amazes me. It will never be understood,... Read More

Is Your Glass (Ceiling) Half Empty or Half Full?

The infamous "glass ceiling" is blamed for business issues for... Read More

Change Your Mind; Change Your Luck

When I was a young man, even a teenager for... Read More

maid service near Glenview ..