One of my best friends recently lost her job and they are currenty facing a deficit. My company is doing pay cuts with some managers taking up to a 34% reduction in pay.
It seems like this news is happening all around. You hear on the news how times are tough and you think it won't be you, and then one day it is.
I woke up this morning and just felt a heaviness on me. That overwhelming sense of fear, anxiety, and the unknown.
In the past, whenever bad things would happen to me I'd ask myself "Who did I piss off?" and think of karma
And as I was getting my kids' cereal this morning, I realized the answer was - MYSELF
No matter what happens in the economy, people have an amazing tenacity to survive because they never give up hope.
My boss asked me if I had any questions regarding the economy and what the company was doing. I just said "No"
I think that puzzled him. Shouldn't everyone be scared right now?
So I elaborated and told him "I know that not even the experts know the answers, so we're just all in this together and all I would want to know is how I can help and what I can do."
I didn't think it would be worthwhile to ask him what is going to happen to the economy or the company or my job. I know I'm a good worker, I work for a great company, the rest is out of my hands.
Its like that saying "God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change and the courage to change the things that I can"
So I turned off the news. I know whats going to be there... my goal now is to continue to find more innovative and creative ways to adapt to the changes in the world. So long as I focus on that, I'll find a way - cause I have hope.
Its when we give up on things and say there are no doors left to open that there is no more hope. But as long as we keep pressing on, no matter what lies ahead or however insurmountable this obstacle we face may be... as long as we have hope, we can find a way.
Hindsight is always 20/20, and I think half of that is because many times we are so caught up with other things on our mind to really see the opportunities at hand are really right in front of us.
I don't know how we'll make it through ourselves, but I'm confident that if I focus on it - I'll find a way.
What to do when it seems like it never ends...
November 12th, 2008 at 08:00 pm
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But they darn well better not be ordering those bottles of champagne on our dime (if only) at AIG and all those other bail-out spots.
Looking back over history, this seems like a minor blip. Better to be here than in a country torn by civil war, terror, famine, or disease.
I think it's key to take care of yourself in all those indulgent but cheap ways--healthy food, enough sleep, etc--to help us all see this for what it is.
November 12th, 2008 at 08:56 pm 1226523380
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I think that this panic stems from fear and lack of a plan. Having at least a plan on what one would do in the case of a really catastrophic financial disaster has helped me.
November 13th, 2008 at 12:49 am 1226537361
To shine some light on the bright side... I already stopped foolish spending before this crisis... but think about how many thousands of people will become more frugally-minded and stop wasting their future wealth on lattes and holidays bought on credit.... that can only be a good thing for THEIR futures...
House-prices..... Any young 20something buying their first home could buy one over the next couple of years for half of what it was selling for in say 2006. Think of the thousands that will save them in interest payments.
This is an opportunity for people to start living within their means. Let's hope everyone succeeds.
November 13th, 2008 at 06:34 am 1226558056