Life is full of surprises. Not too long ago we were enjoying a great economy. Suddenly the winds of fortune take a u-turn. Before you know it, the country is in a tailspin. Amidst a deep recession, we are all weak at the knees and understandably so. Anxious for stability, we are not only desperate to find ways to cope, but to make things right again.
It has often been said, “When life gets tough, the tough gets going.” So here are a few tips to help you ride out the storm and even enjoy the ride:
- Use available time to rejuvenate yourself. Exercise. Eat well. Get plenty of rest.
- Invest in your future. Educate yourself further with well-chosen courses that add value to your future and/or certify your knowledge. Pick up new skills by examining your natural talents and abilities.
- Incorporate your hobbies into your mainstream life. Who knows? The future may lie there instead.
- Recast your lifestyle. Critically examine “must haves” versus “nice to haves then cut away the excesses.
- Repair and renew the life you have. Revisit old practices (walking vs. driving , visiting vs. e-mailing, budget-shops vs. glitzy malls, meals at home vs. fast food and fancy restaurants).
- Create new options using the “meta-markets” of your life-skills. If you are a good teacher, learn how to transfer those skills into a new career whether it be a professional life-coach, a trainer, or a counselor.
- Get back into community living. Combine/share incomes, skills, and lives with extended family, or create an new family among close friends.
- Nurture your soul, making it an everyday priority. Acknowledge your stresses and be kind to yourself. Find your bliss with inspirational reading, music, a cup of tea, people or places, a favorite chair or a spot in nature for sustenance.
- Stay in the Present. Take life one day, one moment at a time. Tough times are more manageable in baby steps. This allows you to focus on decisions that need to be made and only taking action on the next step.
- Accept Support. This is often difficult for those who take pride in being independent and self-sufficient. Remember it is just as important to be a gracious receiver as it is to be a thoughtful giver. Shared burdens provide opportunities for creating closeness and appreciation for one another.
- Trust Your Resilience. Rely on your natural inner resources and strengths. Trust that you have what you need to get through tough time.
- Visualize Success. Consider these tough times as an opportunity to create a new life for yourself. This new life begins in the imagination. If you can dream it, you can live it. Let go of the “old” you, the person you thought you were and make room for the person you wish to become.
- Forgive Past Mistakes. Learn from past pains and forgive people who may have inflicted pain on you whether intentionally or unintentionally. This is really not out of kindness to them, but rather out of kindness to your own self. After all, you are the one who is carrying the burden of those hurts; not them. Forgive yourself for past mistakes or for paths not taken.
Remember… crisis is a change agent. With change, comes growth. So take advantage of these tough times and consider it an opportunity to create a new life for yourself. Nurture yourself, stay in the present, accept the love and support of others, trust your resilience, envision unlimited possibilities, and most of all… let go of past pains along with preconceived notions about who you are and perceived limitations. Get out and explore the new you!!!
Remember … touch a life today “The Little Way” by following the lead and need of others. Also, if you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my customers, knew…”, then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.
~ Theresa
Doing It "The Little Way" 