This self improvement article is written by Debra Wier.

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In the current economic climate it’s often difficult to stay positive when every where you look stores are closing, people are losing their jobs right and left, and the once stable real estate market has taken massive hits. Many people aren’t able to make their house payments due to job losses. Even some of the ones who can afford to pay are upside down in their homes in that they actually owe more than their homes are worth. Mortgage companies are foreclosing on homes that they certainly don’t want. Stock market volatility has caused many to lose a huge portion of their portfolios forcing some to postpone retirement. It’s hard to find the positive in such trying economic times.

The other day my husband and I saw a movie that had a profound effect on me. The movie was “Slumdog Millionaire”. If you haven’t seen the film I highly recommend it. It’s a story about Jamal, an 18 year old kid who wins the largest jackpot in the history of India’s version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”. During a break between filming, he is tortured by the local police who are convinced that he has somehow cheated on the game show. When questioned, the boy finally relents and begins to tell the story explaining how he knew each particular answer and in
doing so we get a glimpe into that segment of his life. By the end of the interrogation, Jamal has given us a complete picture of his life.

The story was full of despair, hope, courage, and ultimately triumph as the young boy is finally able to achieve his meteoric rise out of poverty like a Phoenix rising from the ashes.

The thing that really shocked me about this film was the harsh living conditions to which Jamal was subjected. While I’m certainly aware that there are many poverty stricken regions of the world, I had no idea that such filth and squalor were a common component of the lives of millions of people.

When we walked out of the theatre I must say I felt like the richest woman in the world. Just having the luxury of being able to go to a movie theatre is pretty amazing. If you have a roof over your head, food in your belly, and a warm bed you are probably richer than half of the world. If you have a car and electricity, then by the standards of many, you are quite wealthy. If you have someone who loves you, then you’ve really hit the jackpot!

I like to think that I’m an appreciative person but seeing “Slumdog” definitely opened my eyes. It reminded me of the resiliency of the human spirit. It reminded me that no matter what your situation or station in life, there are always things to celebrate. It reminded me of the importance of following your dreams. And most of all, it reminded me of just how important it is to realize and appreciate all that is good in my life.