Thrive in Harsh Economic Times

When "The Secret" aired on Oprah, showcasing the Law of Attraction; people began to furiously think positive thoughts to magically transport what they wanted into their lives. Many unrealistic expectations were dashed because of what became better known as "wishful thinking". These same people didn't realize they needed to envision what they wanted with clarity and ask for it, be patient and take note of opportunities that came along, AND take action to bring what they wanted into their existence.
Soon after the law of attraction (via The Secret) hit the airwaves, the US economic climate began it's most noticeable landslide. No one knows where it's headed and fear is in the air. Is it possible, to not only survive, but thrive in the harsh times of today? Many believe it is. Read on to find out how from one perspective.

HAVE PATIENCE:

Many Americans can remember tough times. The Depression Era symbolized hardships of epic proportions. My grandmother is an active 96 years young and would be hard pressed to say that anything we're facing now is as bad as it was then.

In a statement, John D. Rockefeller said that "These are days when many are discouraged. In the 93 years of my life, depressions have come and gone. Prosperity has always returned and will again." (Quote from Wikipedia-see resource below.)

Patience will be key in thriving in the current harsh economy.

BE PREPARED:

Although waiting it out patiently is important, so too, is being prepared.

Be cautious what financial institutions you place your money in.

Pay equal attention to current, and future, investments. A savvy investor will realize that the current situation with the stock and real estate markets may very well be a cloaked opportunity.

With mounting food prices; you may want to watch more closely for sales, begin using coupons, store some staples in bulk amounts, eat at home more, and pare down on non-essentials.

Shop thrift stores for excellent buys on gently worn (and often times high quality, or designer, clothing).

Carpool when you can and save from making multiple trips when unnecessary.

Learn other skills to expand the value of your current work situation; or in the possiblility of losing your job and your income.

FIND PERSPECTIVE:

The harsh economic forecast is on the television, radio, internet, talked about around the water cooler and over coffee in restaurants. It's a non-stop projection of doom and gloom.

*How does one find perspective?

Start with a news fast. This is simply a break from the media -generated "top stories". It means DON'T start your day with the morning news and end it with the late news before bed. In fact, don't listen to any of it.....at least for a day or more, if you can stand it !

*Consider the following sobering thoughts and questions:

-Do you have a job? Many people in our country and all over the world are unemployed, or work for pennies.

-Do you have a home, electricity, running water, heat? Millions of people will sleep on the street, under a park bench, in an unheated shack on a dirt floor tonight. Running water is rain. Electricity is unheard of. Heat is a prayer that it won't reach low temperatures and a piece of cardboard or newspaper for a blanket.

-Have you eaten one, or more, meals today? Millions, including children and the elderly, will not eat this day...or the next. Or perhaps they will find scraps in a trash can or be fortunate enough to have rice broth.


-Do you have your health, in full, or partially? People all over America and the world will suffer, or die, today because they will not have access to medical facilities or treatment.

Perspective is a way of seeing things differently. If one chooses to chime in with the country-wide mindset of panic and forecasts of recession and depression, then that will be YOUR experience according to the Law of Attraction. This law states that what you focus on is what you will draw to you. If you think about your life, you'll realize that it is so.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider what you can be grateful for. Friends, family, a home, warm clothing, food, a job?
• Support your local merchants and business' to boost your community's economy.
• Shop "made in the USA" if possible.
• Try to maintain a more positive perspective by reading articles and blogs from others who are interested in helping people to improve their lives; physically, mentally, and spiritually - such as eHow writer and blogger: Kevin Freeman. See resource below.
• If you eat, sleep, and breathe bad news on the state of our country's economy, then by the Law of Attraction you will contribute to it.

by ehow.com

Survive the Economy

Money’s tight right now. For some of us, money has BEEN tight. So, what do we do? Get practical and real. Consumer spending helps the economy. The more people spend, the more people make money. But what about the individual? Spend less, invest smarter.

Take a look at your spending habits. Where can you cut some fat? In some places, maybe that’s literally. Spend less on food. The average person today eats WAY too much. Sometimes, we buy food that we never even eat. That’s a lot of wasted money right there.

Do you really need to go to the movies this weekend? How about staying in for the night? Break out an old movie you haven’t seen in awhile. Other options are watching movies on hulu.com or on fancast.com. Free movies are everywhere for us to watch!

Cut back on electricity. Right now, at least where I live, is a perfect time to open up the windows and let the “fresh” air in. Use fans instead of air conditioning. In the winter, dress warmer and/or use a blanket instead of turning on the heat. Turn off the lights in rooms you’re not using. Unplug electricity vampires. Those chargers you’re not using right now ARE costing you money if they’re plugged in!

Not enough? The reality of it is, maybe you DO need a second job! You’d be surprised how much easier it can be to pay the bills and get by with just a few extra hours of work a week at a second job! There are plenty of night and weekend jobs out there, and you don’t need them to pay the same amount as your fulltime job! That extra income will help pay off credit cards, saving you money that would be wasted on interest.

The stock market… Oh yeah… Get more conservative with your investing. Penny stocks are risky in a healthy market, let alone a falling market. Some stocks may spike up and earn someone some nice cash, but are you in on that end, or on the losing one.

Stocks are sexy, mutual funds aren’t as sexy, bonds… eh… datable, savings accounts? They’re like a family member. It seems the more money you COULD make, the greater the risk of losing it all is. And sexy is a risk. Is someone still making money off of sexy? You bet! Are you? Maybe not. In hard times, stick with family. It might not fix the world’s economy, hell, it might even hurt it more, but who’s looking after you? The world, or you? And who are you really responsible for looking after? The world, or yourself and maybe your family? Look after yourself and your family for a bit. You worked for it, you deserve it.

Tips & Warnings

• I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I’ve got an E_Trade savings account and it’s pulling in at 3.30% interest right now. 3.30% is good enough for me right now.
• Bonds should be pretty good right now from what I understand. They should be cheap enough right now and have a decent enough payout once they mature.
• Now could even be a good enough time to get in low on a nice mutual. Be sure it’s a conservative mutual for the long term investment.
• Be CAREFUL what BANK you even use now! Even banks are changing left and right these days!
• If you can help it, make sure your money is FDIC insured! The market is pretty unstable right now. Keep your money safe!
• Investing, even in a stable market has its risks! ALWAYS DO YOUR RESEARCH!

By ehow.com