For over 4 years, daily news stories of financial sectors in meltdown, higher unemployment and house repossessions have been invading our living rooms like an invisible toxic gas. It’s not going to be surprising if it takes a little longer for most of us to start regaining our confidence and feeling less anxious.
It’s easy to get caught up in the atmosphere of doom and gloom and quite literally become ‘hypnotised’ by the negative messages presented to us by the media. But, whether you’re dealing with redundancy, applying for a new job, battling stress, sleepless nights or are just plain worried – make no mistake. Whatever happens to you over the next five years could be the direct result of how you approach your own recovery. Your success can be determined by your thoughts and actions… not Governments or money markets.
Follow these Recession Beating Tips to put yourself in a more positive and creative frame of mind:
- Wellbeing: Taking better care of yourself can put you ahead of the game. Getting more sleep, exercising in the fresh air, eating well and avoiding toxins are more important at this time than ever before.
- Laughter: Take time out to watch funny movies, go to comedy clubs and listen to comic radio shows. Laughing fills your body with much needed happy chemicals enabling you to project a more confident and positive you.
- Self-image: How you think of yourself affects how other people feel about you. Work on your self-image by making a list of all your strengths, talents and past successes as a reminder. Make a second list of all the people who love and value you. Read through and add to these lists each day.
- Network: It may be tempting to hide yourself away following a set-back but it’s important to do the exact opposite right now. Keep networking and ensure you’re meeting the right people. Some people are natural ‘connectors’ – they know a lot of other people and have fingers in many pies. Work out how many ‘connectors’ you know and aim to spend more time with them.
- Get information: Most of the things that we worry about never happen. Don’t waste energy worrying about a problem that may not exist. Get advice and information from websites such as JustanAnswer.com and your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
- Be grateful: Cultivating an ‘attitude of gratitude’ is a simple but powerful way of putting yourself in a more positive mindset. Each evening write down 3 things that happened during the day that you feel grateful for. You can start off recording small things such as ‘the sun shone today’ or ‘the bus arrived on time’ to begin with – and watch how quickly the momentum builds up and you find you have bigger and better things to say.
