As I sit in my friend’s apartment on New Year’s Eve, television blaring, and people filling up the apartment, I’m kind of in shock at the past year’s events. Election of Barack Obama as the nation’s first African-American President, the Economic downturn, the Dip in the Financial Markets, Housing Crisis, and the Madoff Scandal. It almost seems as though things couldn’t be more depressing or negative, right?
Yes and no. Yes, because you only need to turn on CNBC or MSNBC to see the latest stock market dips or stories about families that have lost their savings, but what do people do in times of strife and struggle? Well, you either give up or develop this thing called RESILIENCE.
What is resilience? Merriam-Webster.com says that, “Resilience is an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.”
So do it. Invest in yourself. Here are a few helpful tips:
Find your Talent/Passion. Maybe you’re an excellent cook and have always wanted to cook for a living, but weren’t sure how. Start small, maybe start writing a food blog and create a following. The best thing about the Internet is that you can start a blog for free, or upload videos to youtube. People can hear what you have to say, and you don’t have to ask for approval from a “suit” to do so.
Stay Positive. I’ve always admired resilient people who have positive ways of dealing with every situation. Whenever I feel myself becoming too negative, I have to take a step back and say, “Okay, what do you have to be thankful for?” Life is weird and takes you on these odd twists and turns that you can’t control. So just fasten your seat belt and put on a smile. At least those are free.
The Best Things in Life are Free. Okay, yeah, I know this is a lyric to a song with words like, “I Want Money. That’s What I Want.” Well, duh, that’s what we all want. But I’ve known/met lots of people throughout my life who have full bank accounts and empty lives, which is when I saw firsthand that money doesn’t buy happiness. It does buy a lot of cool material goods, but it won’t buy you love, kindness, generosity, humility or joy. These things are completely free, and every single person on this earth is capable of having them.
Change What You’re Not Satisfied With. Have you been neglecting your “Me” time? Do you find yourself exhausted at the end of the week, wondering, “What am I supposed to be doing with my life?” This is actually really difficult, but just start on that path to figuring out where the next step should be for you, professionally or personally. The quicker you do this, the sooner you’ll be on that path.
Take a Risk. When I first started on my path as an actress and writer, I had no support from anyone and would question my sanity on a daily basis. All I had was my inner voice that told me, “Um… this is your dream, so do it.” So, while my friends took jobs in Finance, I waitressed, worked temp jobs, got an agent, did short films, and tried to say sane. Was it really hard? Yes. Was I broke and struggling? Hell yeah.
Do I regret it? Never.
I think 2009 will be a year of change for many, hopefully it will be a change for a more positive light for this country and world. Whether you’re laid off or not, we’re all going to be in the same boat, so I suggest that you keep your head up, stay positive, and focus on what you have to do. Keep it moving!
