“Times are tough” – There is no escaping this remark these days. With fear of the unknown screaming at us in a deafening pitch, how does one keep going in these tough times?
We are out to prove a lot these days. With layoffs and bankruptcies overwhelming us, as well as twice the work for those “thankfully” left employed it’s no wonder that things seem gloomy and hopeless right now.
It’s easy to get sucked into this whirlpool of gloom and doom, and it’s nearly impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel. In these dark days, it might be helpful to look at ways to keep your head up. I have created a list of things that are helping me cope, and I hope they will help you.
1. Begin a meditation practice, or sit quietly for a few minutes every morning. No matter what religion you believe in, sitting in silence and getting centered can deepen your spiritual practice, and keep you centered when tough things are thrown at you.
2. Re-Examine Generosity and how you can create more of it in your life. The more you give, the more you receive. As the economy contracts, hopefully there can be space for more acts of kindness and generosity not only monetarily, but in volunteering or simply giving someone a smile. Pull yourself out of the fog, reach out to others and see what happens.
3. Look at what money means for you. What is your history and conversation around money. Is there any opportunity to make vodka tonics with the lemons life may have thrown at you regarding finances?
4. Exercise, excercise, excercise – You don’t have to join a gym or take fancy pilates classes. There are a ton of great websites online, such as http://www.sparkpeople.com that will support you in your journey to well being with exercises and other activities you can do at home.
5. Potlucks – Tough times call for pooliing resources, and this is a great way to stay connected to friends and still have great meals. the memories and connection you create will be something money can’t buy.
6. Take a media vacation – I can’t tell you how depressed I was the other day after watching the news. It made me feel like things were bleak and hopeless. then I snapped out of it, and realized I’m spending the same energy fretting about things and feeling powerless, when I could be trying to get things moving.
I would love to hear what you are doing to cope with these tough times. Please feel free to add your suggestions.
Keep your head up out there, it makes a big difference to all of us.
