"How To Remain Hopeful In The Midst of the Worst Financial Crisis Since the Great Depression" (3)

A skeptic would probably say: “Faith? Hope? Get real lady, you don't even have a clue of what I and others like me are going through!" "It's just not that easy!" "You're definitely not in our shoes!"

Believe me, I am not being unsympathetic. I do understand your anger and my heart feels your anguish. I agree that there are circumstances that are totally out of our control, while others are of our own making. Economic distress is suffered by all groups within the community. Each person's situation is genuinely real and completely different. While some have undergone substantial losses, others have suffered less. Nevertheless, no one's distress is in anyway less acute than the other. The current uncertainty in our economy, especially not knowing how bad it will get before it gets better again, makes options extremely limited.

Though I have good cause for worry, I really don't want it to become an obsession disturbing my sleep and influencing my daily activities. So if I maintain a positive attitude toward the problem that I am facing, this will remove my attention from the object of worry and place me in a state of calmness without turmoil and agitation. In doing so, this will enable me to think with clarity and help me to exercise self-control in dealing with my circumstances. One has to meet his or her problem in a positive constructive way, no matter how dismal it may seem. There are those who have accepted the challenge and have been successful. Again it is not what happens to us, but HOW we react to it that counts. So we all need to start right, because when we start right on this journey of faith and hope, half of the battle is won.

I am not claiming to be an expert on these matters, but I would still like to share some thoughts with you in the hopes that you will find them helpful in taking that journey of Faith and Hope. Remember starting all over again takes a lot of courage, faith and determination.

One of the many things that I love about America is that it offers a wide range of occupational positions in every field you could possibly think of... So if you are unemployed, what you have to do is decide what kind of a job you want, even in these difficult times, then analyze your talents and capabilities which you wish to offer and go after it. It's important that you remain flexible ; not getting yourself locked in to one way of doing things. If you can't find a job, then create one. For example: If you were a bookkeeper, you could approach small businesses and see if they need someone to help them with their accounting for a negotiable fee. If you are able to get a few accounts, this at least will give you an incentive to get motivated, get out of bed and become productive once again. Yes, you can achieve success even through the worst of financial crisis by getting back on track of practicing faith and hope.

To be continued: (4)