Originally written for my newsletter readers in November ’08, I felt this piece was still relevant today. Enjoy!
EVERYONE is talking about the economy. You can’t turn on the TV, the radio, or open a publication without seeing a story about how everything’s gone to hell, we’re all doomed, and the fact that this period is as bad as the Great Depression. The people I speak with about this issue generally fall into one of two camps:
The Gloomy: A friend called the other day and said (with no “hello,” mind you) “do you believe what’s happening on Wall Street?” The remainder of our call involved his dire predictions for, the loss of real estate value, the demise of his bank and mortgage lender, the gutting of his portfolio, and basically the end of the world as we know it. I deflected, dodged, and kept steering the conversation away from all the gloom and doom. I believe he was disappointed when I wouldn’t join the Pity Party, so the call was (mercifully) short.
Others aren’t quite as bad as Gloomy Gus, but they’re fretting. They fear for the loss of a job, or for their retirement funds, or for how they’re going to make the mortgage payments if a job goes away.
The Philosophical: These folks have basically decided that there’s not much they can do but wait it out. They take a passive approach, thinking along the lines of another friend of mine who says “When in doubt, do nothing.”
I am most definitely not Gloomy. I’m a lot more like the Philosophical group, but with a twist: I believe that the actions below will help guide us through this difficult period:
Be Honest – Where in your life have you been dishonest with yourself about what you need, what you spend, and how you entertain yourself? What stories do you tell yourself about why you spend what you spend?
Be Smart – Know where your money is going. Do you have a budget? Do you know what your monthly expenses are? What options do you have in order to keep yourself afloat? Do something to ensure that you are on top of your finances.
Be Brave – Even if you’ve lost your job, your life savings, and your home, you have a choice about how you perceive the situation. I certainly don’t mean to make light of those awful situations, but who among us has not had awful periods in their lives and come out on the other side? We are survivors, and this, too, shall pass.
Be Kind – If you’ve got a computer and are reading this newsletter, you’ve got more than many people in this world. This type of economy is when those less fortunate feel it the most. Charitable contributions go down. Be the person who goes against the flow and continues to give what they can to help brighten someone else’s life.
Be Aware – While it’s a good idea to be informed about the goings-on in the world, are you glued to CNN 24/7? Take a break from the TV and instead be aware on a different level. Notice the abundance of blessings in your life. Show gratitude for the many things that are right about this time.
Be an Activist – Speak up for what you believe in. Vote. Tell your representatives in Congress what matters to you. It’s not time to sit back and assume they know.
Be a Student – If everything life hands us is a lesson, what can you learn from this economic turbulence?
Be Hopeful – As a friend of mine once said “we survive absolutely everything that life hands us except one thing, and that’s on the day we die.” Since we are certain that we will die, and are totally uncertain as to the timing of that death, it is up to us to choose how we will live this life.
During this lifetime, I strive to be honest, smart, brave, kind, aware, active, studious and hopeful. I hope you do, too
