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Economic Crisis: A Time for Rejuvenation

During challenging times, the first thing you must do is understand and accept that you are in control of your emotions. Too many times I hear people say "You made me feel _______." Or, "I can't help it, that is just how I feel". It's an illusion folks. It's the easy way out. Blame it on your emotions, blame it on someone else. Or better yet, blame it on a situation that lets you off the hook. The minute you buy into that illusion, you have lost control. Lose control of your emotions and you lose power, then your words and actions show it. Basic emotional intelligence states that a leader who has a strong level of emotional control will be more effective during tough times. This applies also to your personal life. Someone who is in control of their emotions will get through hard times more positively and productively and will better support others in the process.

Neuroscience

The study of the nervous system (check out www.neuroscience.com) proves the way you think effects how you feel. Several years ago, the AMA (American Medical Association) documented research proves what you think about, talk about and/or experience within a 45 minute time frame before going to sleep will repeat in your mind while you are sleeping. So what is the big deal? Well, I will let you answer that. Please participate right now in a brief experiment to demonstrate this. Take a moment and reflect back on a stressful time. Nothing too stressful; mildly stressful; a long boring day; an annoying conversation, something you worry about, receiving non-life threatening bad news, etc. Take a few moments and let yourself think back on this. Take your eyes off of your screen for about one minute and just feel this experience. OK, enough of that. Now, shake off that thought. Next, I'd like you to think of your fantasy vacation. Take a moment and picture your dream vacation. Imagine you can go away for four weeks, all expenses paid and the best part - you can take anyone you want with you! Yes, that means you can leave some behind! This is your fantasy - make it good. Go ahead. Spend a minute dreaming. I will bet that those of you who did this little experiment felt kind of blah or uncomfortable when thinking about their stressful moment. But when you started thinking about your dream holiday, you instantly changed your state and felt good. Some of you probably smiled. Maybe others left to book that trip!!! The point is, by controlling your thoughts, YOU control your emotions. And it happens with a snap of a finger. Your thoughts control your feelings and your feelings dictate your actions.

Getting back to the AMA study: If you watch the news before bed, go to sleep after an unresolved argument, etc. your sleep is not as deep as it could be if you had more positive thoughts before bed. Those who have a peaceful routine prior to sleep, sleep better. Why? Because what you think about most reflects how you feel. Sleep disturbances occur from stress. When you are most relaxed and feel best, stress is less and deep sleep is more likely. Therefore, when you feel best, you can relax easier. Taking that to your daily life - when you feel best you have more energy and can be most productive.

Thoughts = Feelings = Actions

So what you do with that information is up to you. You can walk away and say "Oh, too foo-foo for me!" or you can take control and decide to pay more attention to the thoughts that slow you down. What I like to do is pay attention to how I am feeling, and when I am not feeling 100% ask myself, "What I'm thinking about and how can I change that thought to work better for me?"

Personal Example:

Original negative and unproductive thought: Oh my Gosh, more companies are dying. That will have a ripple effect on all of us. My business is suffering from it. What if this continues? How will my business survive? How long will this take? What if I run out of money? What if I have to sell my house???? There is nothing I can do about this etc.

Feelings that thought created: fear, hopelessness, anxiousness, fatigue, less motivation

Actions: Slow moving, less productivity, irritability, slower thinking

New positive and productive thought (remember to stay realistic!): Despite this economic crisis, despite the losses I have and am experiencing, I will remind myself it is cyclical and I will work smarter, stay strong, positive and support those around me to fight through this also.

New feelings that thought created automatically: optimistic, empowered, less confused, increased energy

New actions: increased mental clarity, new action plans and the energy to run with them, HOPE

Results: Increased professional productivity, increased quality time with loved ones

So, here is the bottom line - no matter who you are, where you live, what you do and how much money you have (or don't have) you cannot afford to let your emotions take over. Time is short and what you think will dictate what you feel and what you feel will lead to how you react. Simple - only if you do something with it.

Times are tough right now but your peers, teams, family and friends need you to be strong and fight through this. You need to believe that despite these times you will get through. If you suffer loss - you will still get through. It may be sad and frustrating - you may even need to change the way you do things. You may need to create new goals, new dreams. But if you sulk over what material things you lost - you will only feel worse. No matter what your situation - now is the time to create new goals and yes, create new dreams. Our country has new leadership stepping in soon. No matter who you voted for, its time to look towards the future and realize this change will bring new confidence and new strategies. Confidence alone always has a positive repercussion.

For those of you who have teams. Support them. Listen to their concerns - more than once. Be realistic but hopeful. For questions that do not have answers yet, build confidence by reminding people they will get through this. Even if the present and the future needs to be different than expected or hoped for, folks will get through this. If you need support contact us. We are offering recession rates right now because we believe developing your people needs to continue to encourage organizational growth and keep moral up.

There comes a time when blind faith needs to take over. Blind faith comes from within. It does not have all the answers and is not something you can touch. It is something that will bring new ideas, true support, opportunities and confidence. What do you have to lose?

The one's with the positive mindset and the most flexibility will survive the easiest. Be open to change. We do not know what our worlds will look like when this is over. Chances are, we will need to change something even if it is how we view things. The more you resist, the more stress you will have. One important tip is to never let material things control you so much that you forget what is most important. Worst case scenario, we can always get another car, another home, another job, a new business, etc, etc. Do we want to? Probably not. But, if we must, we will. And time will dictate how. Never, never ever, let material things take over your peace of mind. Life is too short. Didn't we learn that in 9/11? We need to pull upon that now and forge forward together.

Make a list NOW of everything important to you that is not material such as your health. Be grateful for the health you DO have and take new actions NOW to become healthier. Think about your family and friends. What can you do to support them through this? What can you do to demonstrate your appreciation of them just a little more than you usually do? Think deep about that. Build your relationships now. You need each other.

Who else do you know? Who is in your professional network? Nurture those relationships. You never know who will be able to help you tomorrow AND who you might help too. Remember, you are not the only one going through this.

Make a preliminary plan for tomorrow. Who do you need to reconnect with personally and professionally? What have you been saying you want to do but have been putting it off: plan it now! Below are some more tips to help you get through these times more positively and productively:

*	Never worry about things out of your control - even if it is unfair - ignore it or strategize to get through it instead
*	Take control of your emotions by changing your thoughts to work better for you ie: thoughts = feelings = actions
*	Distract yourself from negative self talk to stay focused
*	Listen to uplifting music
*	Watch only positive TV shows and movies
*	Avoid negative people (or limit your exposure!!)
*	Watch the news less
*	Encourage others to fight mentally and build a positive outlook
*	Reach out to old friends and make them smile
*	Give back to those that are less fortunate by donating or volunteering your time
*	Clean out that old closet or basement
*	Cut back on eating out and cook your favorite meal or try a new recipe
*	Create special moments at home with loved ones, such as a Game Night, Movie Night, Sport Night, etc.
*	Have a Beat the Recession Party - everyone brings something to keep costs down and you all commit to talking about only good things!
*	Take a hot bubble bath with scented candles and a glass of wine
*	Seek to learn something new every day - JOURNAL IT - watch for breakthroughs
*	Stop eating for comfort - it is making you more tired and depressed - learn how to eat for energy then do it!
*	Make time for exercise
*	Do that extra something special with a loved one
*	Re-evaluate how you are spending your time and make changes
*	Take one thing out of your day and do not replace it with anything!
*	Before you say there is no time, ask yourself how important this is to you?
*	Stop procrastinating and start doing!

This is a topic I can write endlessly on and cannot emphasis how critical it is to take serious and take action - continuous action. Focusing on this for a day is not good enough. I focus on it nonstop. And even though I am in the habit of this type of thinking, I am human and still find my thoughts drifting to the "dark side" from time to time. But I quickly change them and feel better instantly. Start new habits by focusing on what will work for you. Embrace blind faith and watch the difference. This is something that takes effort, energy and repetition. The rewards are priceless, I promise.

Those who persist succeed!

We, at Resolutions are here to support you during these times. We are working with everyone's budgets to make sure you can continue to develop yourself and your people to stay positive and PRODUCTIVE despite hard times. That is the most important thing right now. Contact me directly NOW to find out how.