With all this talk about the country being in a recession, it has brought back memories of my own “personal recession.” The funny thing is I look back on it with fondness, not scarcity or fear.
It all started when I took the giant leap to follow my passion and come to work with Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale as a consultant and trainer. I had enjoyed a successful career in logistics with a company and people that I loved. But, as sometimes happens, you get pulled by an undeniable force to do something new.
It took me a year to make the decision, but I finally did it. You have to understand that with that decision came a clean slate—no clients, no income. My family and I were okay with that because we had planned accordingly. What is it they say ”the best laid plans”? Yeah, one week into my “dream” my husband was laid off. So, welcome to my personal recession.
No income. No benefits.
Oh, and did I mention it was one week before Thanksgiving!
Don’t get me wrong, the “fond” feelings were not immediate. There were feelings of panic and fear. We let ourselves live that for about two days, but then it was time to get on with it. I’m happy to say that my husband found a job within three weeks, and I landed my first client within three months. So what does this have to do with our country’s current situation and our place in it? The value is in the lessons that I learned and how I experienced my life during this tough time.
- We were PRESENT. When you don’t know what the future holds, you tend to live in the present—appreciating, hearing, feeling everything that is now. Sometimes we get so busy we go on autopilot. We don’t remember half of what we feel, think or experience during our day. I was a nicer person.
- We appreciated EVERYTHING. We made our choices about how to spend our money very carefully. If we went to a movie with our son, we really made a big deal about it. It was an event. Something so simple is so special if you are present. Starbucks becomes a treat and not a medication. Long walks became a time to explore, talk.
- Speaking of money. It was the first time, in a long time, that we paid attention—what was going out, what was coming in, what we owed, what we bought. This period of time made us financially healthy. We actually paid off more debt and saved more money. We realized how spoiled we are and how little we really need to live a great life.
- We needed each other. I felt like my husband, son and I were a pack that couldn’t be infiltrated. No worry, no bad feelings—we were going to get through this. They were my rock, my place of shelter.
My hope during this time is that we can get back to the simple things—respecting, caring and helping our neighbors. Mostly, when we come out of this, which we will, I hope we remember the good things.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice reminder. I did some “volunteer work” for the Department of Defense back in the early nineties; I call it my four year misadventure with the U.S. Marines. A memorable figure once gave me some valuable advice. He said, “Look back on every single one of your major life accomplishments. Did you ever notice that each one had an extremely difficult period that happened right BEFORE that accomplishment?” This too shall pass. When it’s over, each of the “survivors” will be that much better for weathering the storm.
Hey Brooke,
That’s a great story ! That must be part of what makes you successful, the ability to tell a great story.
During the 8-9 days we recently spent without electricity, we realized several things: who our friends are, what’s really important and what we can do without.
Thanks for the inspiration !
Yes yes yes…adversity builds character and adversity reveals the truth…
And to look back, many had never been through adversity until now.
There should be no bail outs and our kids should keep score when they play Little League sports. We Americans are known for getting back up after being knocked down. Bring it.
Hi there. Loved this article. In running my own business for the past 5 years, I’ve been in the lucky position to see this challenging time as what it is – an opportunity to grow in areas that I haven’t needed to in the past. As I have had to work harder to book work, my writing and marketing skills have improved incredibly. I’ve added so much value to the programs that I offer! I’m ready for a new chapter where instead of just providing entertainment, I have a vision to inspire children in education. This may not have happened if I had been bombarded with the regular “party” work that I had been doing. Since I framed this challenging time in a different way, I find that it’s the best thing that could have happened to me.
Oh, and sorry, I tried to rate the article 5 stars but I didn’t know what I was doing yet, so I may have accidentally clicked on the wrong star. 5 stars, definitely.
Thank you so much! It’s always amazing to me the connection we all have. I’m really encouraged to know that there are others that choose to see the “glass half full”. Life is good!
Brooke,
Thank you for sharing your experience at a time when others are looking for comfort. You are, of course, totally right! And your honesty and compassion are what your friends and associates love about you.
Thank you Barb! The feeling is mutual.
@ Annie, First of all – I love your name and your website address…..I’m off to check it out.
Thank you so much for reading and then taking the time to comment on my article. You never know when you put something out there what it will bring up for people. Congrats to you for your continous growth!
Brooke
@ Greg, I’m with you! Maybe I’m whacky, but I find this time to be very exciting. I love the idea of not knowing who I will know or be working with next year. I guess the magic of seeing the opportunity is trusting that the universe will provide you what you need. And I do! Thanks for your comments- they mean more than you know.
Brooke