A Nation of Whiners or Emotionally unfit?
"We've become a nation of whiners when dealing with this economy." Phil Gramm former U.S. Senator.
For many of us, it's the first time we've faced real adversity. The economy isn't so bad we've just become emotionally unfit.
Luxury items are still being bought just not by as many people and that is probably a good thing because people are planning and managing their money better. There is peace and power in living below our means. Is that an emotion that we need to make stronger?
What about delayed gratification? Isn’t this a muscle that sometimes becomes weak during good times?
People have to educate themselves about what's really happening now. We are going through a transition. It's change and every generation has faced some pretty tough changes at some stage. Let’s look at the Greatest Generation. A person born in 1910 was witnessing the Great Depression by the time they were in their twenties. And by their thirties, they would have witnessed one world war and the start of another. That's adversity.
So, the Boomer generation has had it fairly easy. We've all experienced some personal pain and I'm sure you've experienced it in your family. I have in mine. But, we haven't had an experience on a cultural level to the extreme that we are starting to experience now. Even 9/11 didn’t seem to phase us for that long; we acted quickly and moved on. From the Baby Boomer generation on down, we haven't been adversly tested. We've lived through a period where mortgages seemed to good to be true so we bought houses we couldn't afford. Times were so good few asked why or how long it would last?
The question is, when challenges happen, what do you focus on? Do you focus on asking, “Why is this happening to me?” Or, do you ask, "Is this a chance for an opportunity or personal growth?
Look at people like Lance Armstrong or Michael J. Fox or Bill Bartmann and their reaction to adversity.
We've also had an opportunity to be honest and open with our kids and talk to them openly about what our family is facing and others are facing so they realize money does not grow on trees?
Our economy isn't so bad in comparison to two thirds of this planet which lives on $3-4 a day. We're stronger than we think and we can train ourselves to take advantage of these changing times. To adapt, to overcome, to thrive!
This is neither the first time we’ll be tested nor the last, so here are 3 strategies to help you get Emotional Fit starting today:
1. Train your mind. When I was broke and starting my career trying to figure out what to do, there was no Internet. It’s funny but I’m old enough to remember those days when I would go to the library and read biographies about survivors of concentration camps or athletes like Og Mandino and learned how they got through their setbacks? I learned about their emotional fitness.
2. Take control of your body. Our body, emotions, and our minds are linked. Realize fear and depression is physical and if you can get yourself working out intensely, your blood circulating, whether it’s power-walking in the mall, lifting weights, running, you're making a positive change and lifting your mood. Hormones are being released that will give you strength and creativity. If you don’t face your fear, it’s the end; you go into hiding and begin to die.
3. Find a few role models The world has great role models that have overcome great obstacles. And sometimes that role model is in the mirror; it’s you because you’ve faced crisis before and survived, maybe even thrived.
Until next time - You Were Created to Succeed!
Twitter ->Twitter.com/BertMartinez
Connect on Facebook
For many of us, it's the first time we've faced real adversity. The economy isn't so bad we've just become emotionally unfit.
Luxury items are still being bought just not by as many people and that is probably a good thing because people are planning and managing their money better. There is peace and power in living below our means. Is that an emotion that we need to make stronger?
What about delayed gratification? Isn’t this a muscle that sometimes becomes weak during good times?
People have to educate themselves about what's really happening now. We are going through a transition. It's change and every generation has faced some pretty tough changes at some stage. Let’s look at the Greatest Generation. A person born in 1910 was witnessing the Great Depression by the time they were in their twenties. And by their thirties, they would have witnessed one world war and the start of another. That's adversity.
So, the Boomer generation has had it fairly easy. We've all experienced some personal pain and I'm sure you've experienced it in your family. I have in mine. But, we haven't had an experience on a cultural level to the extreme that we are starting to experience now. Even 9/11 didn’t seem to phase us for that long; we acted quickly and moved on. From the Baby Boomer generation on down, we haven't been adversly tested. We've lived through a period where mortgages seemed to good to be true so we bought houses we couldn't afford. Times were so good few asked why or how long it would last?
The question is, when challenges happen, what do you focus on? Do you focus on asking, “Why is this happening to me?” Or, do you ask, "Is this a chance for an opportunity or personal growth?
Look at people like Lance Armstrong or Michael J. Fox or Bill Bartmann and their reaction to adversity.
We've also had an opportunity to be honest and open with our kids and talk to them openly about what our family is facing and others are facing so they realize money does not grow on trees?
Our economy isn't so bad in comparison to two thirds of this planet which lives on $3-4 a day. We're stronger than we think and we can train ourselves to take advantage of these changing times. To adapt, to overcome, to thrive!
This is neither the first time we’ll be tested nor the last, so here are 3 strategies to help you get Emotional Fit starting today:
1. Train your mind. When I was broke and starting my career trying to figure out what to do, there was no Internet. It’s funny but I’m old enough to remember those days when I would go to the library and read biographies about survivors of concentration camps or athletes like Og Mandino and learned how they got through their setbacks? I learned about their emotional fitness.
2. Take control of your body. Our body, emotions, and our minds are linked. Realize fear and depression is physical and if you can get yourself working out intensely, your blood circulating, whether it’s power-walking in the mall, lifting weights, running, you're making a positive change and lifting your mood. Hormones are being released that will give you strength and creativity. If you don’t face your fear, it’s the end; you go into hiding and begin to die.
3. Find a few role models The world has great role models that have overcome great obstacles. And sometimes that role model is in the mirror; it’s you because you’ve faced crisis before and survived, maybe even thrived.
Until next time - You Were Created to Succeed!
Twitter ->Twitter.com/BertMartinez
Connect on Facebook
Tags: adversity, bert, change, control, depression, emotions, failure, financial, martinez, money
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ralph Arcamone Jr. on -
Hello Bert,
I appreciate your comments but labeling us a bunch of whiners is the typical liberal response to those of us in America that don't believe we need to go down the path of destruction that our President is taking us down. I have a letter in my hands from a friend of mine, Larry Edlelson, that outlines the incredibly irresponsible way the Government is handling the finance of OUR country.
If you don't believe that take a look at the dollar! As Larry put it, "Global investors are beating the Dollar like a red-headed Stepchild "
After all, treasury Chief Timothy Giethner while panhandling all last week trying to borrow every penny he could, to fund our precedent shattering $1.6 trillion dollar budget deficit. And then proceeded to dump an all time record 43 Billion dollars in new US treasuries on the market in one day!
Last Friday, Giethner Borrowed another $69 billion "to keep the Lights on in Washington" for a total of $112 billion in just three short days!
This year alone, Giethner has borrowed an incredible $1.41 Trillion to fund Washingtons addiction, 3 Times more than last year at the same time and this is only the start.
The CBO or Congressional budget office has warned that Obama's budget will add 10 Trillion in new debt in the next ten years.
If they, CBO, are correct our national debt will soar to over 21 TRILLION by 2019, That's double the value of all the goods and services our economy produces in one year!
Ben Bernanke can hardly keep up with Giethner over at the fed , printing dollars like there's no tomorrow at the rate of $4 billion dollars a day at times just to keep inflation under wraps and to buy our own Treasuries.
Surely this is only half the story. The Governments deceit and Obama's outright lying in these matters are even more disturbing. As is the case with unemployment numbers that approach the 16% mark for reasons involving those workers that have lost there unemployment benefits, not the 9.6% that is reported to the public.
Tax revenues in Government Coffers are at levels consistent with levels not seen since WWII and Obama's anti business agenda will surely strangle the middle class.
It's amazing how American citizens are subject to the Constitution but the Government totally ignores it with no consequence. Surely any accountability has been stacked in there favor over the years in the justice dept. which leads me to the non existent Tort reform which is desperately needed and conveniently left out of the Health care bill.
I can go on and on! But don't tell me we've become a bunch of whiners. Next year when we are in the throws of a Health care debacle crammed down our throat, Cap and Trade, Immigration Amnesty, and continued Government takeover of our businesses and lively hood etc. That we in America can't complain and exercise our rights.
We've been taken over by a Left wing bunch of Radical nuts leftover from the 60s. I'm a little surprised at Phil Grahm. This guy could have been our president. But then again George Bush got the ball Rolling with his spending spree. Certainly Obama's Ultra left wing radical agenda is Bush on Streroids.
In my opinion, next years elections can't come quick enough. The American people are fed up with all the lying, spending and general destruction of all we've worked for and it's time to clean house. The Government bailout was nothing more than politicians paying off their buddies and hasn't created any jobs except for the 25,000 new government jobs. Of course a year is a long time at this rate we'll be calling each other Comrade and Bread with be $25 dollars a loaf.
I hope you and the left wake up someday before it's to late! As my bumper sticker proclaims
" I'll keep my guns and money, YOU can keep the Change"
Ralph F. Arcamone Jr.
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Permalink Reply by Bert Martinez - The Emotional Engineer on -
I appreciate your comments but if you read and understood my message, I asked a question. I didn't label us a bunch of whiners I actually suggested this generation is being tested and I question our emotional fitness.
I agree with many of your comments however to the average person it makes very little difference who is running the country. Your own personal economy is created by how you feel. This year people will launch many successful businesses in response to the economy and or to the bailout.
I think this administration like all administrations are doing the best they can and like all administrations they have their agenda.
If you really care about the country then get involved in the election process rally your troops. Feelings without action will not accomplish anything.
No matter your political view you are in charge on your economy.
Let's Get Growing
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