Lori Deschene

OK, I don’t really think it’s awesome that the economy sucks. I’d prefer all my friends and I have jobs—or even better, an ever-growing money tree. But that’s just not reality. Instead we’re faced with two choices: a.) Worry, complain, and go prematurely grey or b.) See reality from a different angle and benefit from this experience. Not sure how to change your perception? Allow me to offer some suggestions.

It’s awesome the economy sucks because:

10. You’ll become more resourceful. I’ve always preferred a barter system to the actual exchange of money (mostly because I like to roll around in dollar bills and I can’t do that if I give them all away.) Here’s an example: the day I lost my job, I arranged to do laundry at my yoga studio in exchange for free classes. You got skills—use them. You never know where you could save a little cash.

9. You can redefine success. Most people file this type of thinking right next to, “My mom thinks I’m special” and “Money can’t buy love.” But really, if you lose your job or take a pay cut, count all your other successes. You have friends and family who love you. You’re awesome at poker. You make a mean bratwurst—whatever! Anything you do well other than earn and buy stuff, appreciate that right now.

8. You have an opportunity to minimize. Buying, having, and maintaining a wide selection of stuff consumes a lot of energy. A bad economy is the perfect opportunity to rethink what you really need.

7. It shuffles around the balance of power. Maybe you had a cushy job in the mortgage industry until—well, we all know what happened there. Now all of a sudden your sister the teacher wants to buy you dinner. That’s fantastic! This gives her the chance to look out for you like she never needed to before.

6. It invites humility. I’m not saying you have an out-of-control ego (though you may—I don’t know you.) I’m saying humility is a virtue worth nurturing, and falling down presents a perfect opportunity. Charles de Montesquieu said it perfectly: “To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.”

5. You’ll become more creative. Instead of filling your planner with endless dinners and outings, maybe you’ll have board game nights or clothes-swap parties. I prefer these events anyways. It reminds me of the simplicity of childhood, when a toilet paper roll was as much fun as Nintendo (kind of).

4. It might force you into better habits. If you lived paycheck-to-paycheck and then you lost your job, you’ve likely learned the value of saving. Times will be tough while you get over the hump, but it will be worth it if you start planning better for your retirement as a result.

3. You can reconnect with your intentions. Many people fall out of their dreams and into careers because they let life happen to them. Unemployment is an opportunity to reassess what you love in life. You’ve got the time, so map out a plan: how can you make your next job more meaningful than the last?

2. It serves as the best teacher. Our kids will become the future leaders, so we’ve done them a great service by screwing things up.

1. We can redefine happiness. I know many people who have everything but seem deeply discontent. Happiness lives when you can strip away everything you think defines you and still feel blessed.

You may be thinking to yourself, “That’s all well and good, but what about feeing my kids?” or something along those lines. I’m not suggesting a bad economy doesn’t bring challenging consequences, particularly for parents. I’m just saying look for possibility in adversity. It’s far more empowering than the alternative, and from that place of hope you’ll be better equipped to deal with financial stresses.

by Lori Deschene, Photo TW Collins

Tags: economy, positive, recession, success