it seems these days that you can’t open a web page , listen to a newscast or stand in a grocery line without hearing about the fire and brimstone of our super stellar economy.
and i get it, people. it’s bad. i’m stressed, just like you are. for me and most of my generation, the good news and the bad news is that we really didn’t have any money to lose in the first place. so, as long as we keep our jobs, we should come out about even when all’s said and done. combine that with the fact that we’ll be working for another 30 years, and i think we’ll survive just fine. sure, times are lean. that trip to london isn’t looking to promising for me, and for the next few years, i’ll probably be buying about as many cars as i will be listening to chris brown songs.
but can we maybe, just maybe, widen the lens a bit and try to find a silver lining here?
i feel that we’re just being opportunistic, tying everything back to the economy. it’s fear breeding fear. it grows like ripples in a pond and before you know it, our confidence will be so shot to hell that we won’t have the faith to do anything at all…which certainly isn’t good for the economy, now is it?
am i saying that thinking happy thoughts will turn this thing around? no. what i’m saying is, it sure can’t hurt. just as sure as no man (or roommate) has ever been shot while doing dishes, no one has ever been injured by trying to make the best of a sub-par situation. and you can’t deny that perception is worth a lot in our society. remember how amazing you felt about yourself after you saw those photos of celebrities without makeup? if anything, keeping your chin up can only help at this point.
i know that for me, a couple of good things have happened as a result of the recession:
1. i know that i’m not entitled to a job, and i work harder while i’m at work
2. i realize that people are more important than things (wouldn’t suze orman be proud) and have decided to nurture relationships rather that accumulate stuff
and i get it, people. it’s bad. i’m stressed, just like you are. for me and most of my generation, the good news and the bad news is that we really didn’t have any money to lose in the first place. so, as long as we keep our jobs, we should come out about even when all’s said and done. combine that with the fact that we’ll be working for another 30 years, and i think we’ll survive just fine. sure, times are lean. that trip to london isn’t looking to promising for me, and for the next few years, i’ll probably be buying about as many cars as i will be listening to chris brown songs.
but can we maybe, just maybe, widen the lens a bit and try to find a silver lining here?
i feel that we’re just being opportunistic, tying everything back to the economy. it’s fear breeding fear. it grows like ripples in a pond and before you know it, our confidence will be so shot to hell that we won’t have the faith to do anything at all…which certainly isn’t good for the economy, now is it?
am i saying that thinking happy thoughts will turn this thing around? no. what i’m saying is, it sure can’t hurt. just as sure as no man (or roommate) has ever been shot while doing dishes, no one has ever been injured by trying to make the best of a sub-par situation. and you can’t deny that perception is worth a lot in our society. remember how amazing you felt about yourself after you saw those photos of celebrities without makeup? if anything, keeping your chin up can only help at this point.
i know that for me, a couple of good things have happened as a result of the recession:
1. i know that i’m not entitled to a job, and i work harder while i’m at work
2. i realize that people are more important than things (wouldn’t suze orman be proud) and have decided to nurture relationships rather that accumulate stuff
3. more than ever, i know that God is in control, and the more i look for his tender mercies , the more i find them.
now it’s time for a game. if you’re still reading, first of all, wow. your attention span is awesome. secondly, try to come up with something positive you’ve seen since the recession set in and leave it in the comments section.
we’ll be like our own little stash of happy.
6 comments:
Not buying things just because I want them. Thinking first. I've definitely developed more financial discipline.
Cafe Rio and "Lost" on Friday nights instead of Dinner and a movie. I am getting a little worried, we are on season 4 and we like to watch at least 4 episodes at a time. What I'm saying is we need a new series after this one. Any suggestions?
Love the post!
well, i have slowed down on the mindless spending and started to actually SAVE money. so that is a good thing!
I've always wanted to learn how to can food, and now that I'm freaking out about the recession and other stuff prophesied by the Prophets of Old (and new), I'm finally starting to get that year supply of food storage going and I learned how to can me some peaches. I've also de-cluttered my life by selling a bunch of crap I don't need on Craigslist or donating it to charity. It feels good to have a closet full of canned peaches instead of books I'll never read, shoes I'll never wear. It also leaves more room for my massive quantities of Diet Coke and toilet paper that I plan on bartering for goods if that big earthquake they keep sayin' is gonna happen ever happens.
uummm...first time to your blog...and hi you are hilarious! i love it! anyway, basically i work with hedge funds and investments and am SO done with hearing about the economy...thank goodness our office has plate glass windows that do not open...otherwise we would have lost someone by now...but beyond that i have definitely cut down on frivolous spending and have learned to (so cliche) "count my blessings" roof/food/clothes/heat/health/etc....i think we just may pull through this and i am glad to know i'll look back and know it was not wasted time because i refuse to be a pessimist!
So ... I made it through your post, but I didn't make it through the previous comments. I have no idea if I'm repeating, but since I'm so late to the game, I guess it doesn't really matter.
When I was little, I didn't need new stuff. As the youngest of 9, I got so many hand-me-downs it's not even funny (Let's just say it was several months before I realized the tennis shoes I had on were actually meant for girls). Still, it was simple. It was nice. Like you said about relationships, I had a great childhood, and I think this whole slump will help me remember that I don't have to give my daughter everything she could ever possibly want.
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