Do you feel depressed when you switch on the news? Are you one of those unfortunate people who have lost their job? Do you feel insecure about the future? The financial outlook may not look good, but is there a way of dealing with redundancy and global recession without falling into a feeling of gloom and despondency?
The truth is that there is always more than one way of looking at a situation. In his classic self-help book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill said that the 1930's "depression" was a blessing in disguise. "It reduced the whole world to a new starting point that gives everyone a new opportunity."
The reason Hill placed "depression" in inverted commas was because he was not prepared to buy into other people's definitions of the word. Instead, he looked for the hidden benefit and announced that "every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent advantage."
In making these statements Hill was doing several things. Firstly, he was thinking independently. Secondly, he was "responding" to the situation instead of "reacting" to it, and thirdly, he was "choosing" to respond in a positive way to what most people would see as a reason for negative response.
Napoleon Hill understood that we choose how we respond to any given situation. Unfortunately, most people do not understand this, and believe that there is only one way to see a situation such as a recession or redundancy, and that is a negative one.
In a more recent book (Goal Mapping), Brian Mayne discusses the same idea. He says that the word "responsibility" does not have much to do with being at fault, but with our ability to respond; in other words, our "response-ability". Being responsible is about being able to choose how we respond to situations in our lives so that we are not victims of circumstance.
Napoleon Hill saw the 1930s depression as an opportunity for the world to make a new start.
If we apply this philosophy to our own lives, and to the current worldwide economic downturn, we can begin to turn a negative into a positive.
Globally, I believe that the current financial crisis will see a change in our ways of thinking; not only about the way individuals, banks and corporate companies handle finances, but also about the way we do business. This will be a refreshing and exciting new beginning if we are prepared to change our outmoded mindsets.
This may seem like a much harder pill to swallow if you are dealing with redundancy or are personally affected by financial hardship. The reality of losing your job, and possibly your home, or being in debt, is not one that anyone wishes to experience. However, out of the worse situations, people have risen to succeed because they choose to believe in opportunity and learning from the current situation.
If you are losing your job, perhaps now is the time to start doing something that you have always wanted to do. Perhaps it is the opportunity to get out of the rat race and start your own business (and yes, there are businesses that thrive in a recession). It could be the opportunity you've needed for a long time to stop and take stock of your life and review your values and what is important to you.
You do not have to be a victim. Getting angry or bitter with your boss, or the bank, or the Government, only keeps you stuck and offers no progress. Taking responsibility means that you just respond to what is, and act accordingly. Do not follow what everyone else is saying or thinking. Think for yourself and choose your future.
After all, there are always those who succeed during a recession, and there are always those who fail during a boom. The main thing to remember is that it is always up to you and you can succeed and have what you want, no matter what the rest of the world is doing or thinking. Whether you are dealing with redundancy or facing the worldwide economic downturn, you are free to respond in any way that you choose.
Author Resource:-
Ros is a career life coach and writer, and also runs her own online business.
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