Recession-Proof Your Life — Part 3 ( Your Self)
It’s not just about money — it’s about managing the self
Let’s look beyond work and money, already discussed in Part 1 and Part 2.
This one is about self-care.
Just to clarify, this is based on how I see the world. My philosophy. Yes, I’ve trained as a life coach, have overdosed on personal development books and courses, and have some life experience. But don’t take it as gospel.
These are just suggestions based on the way I try to approach life. This is not the panacea for everyone’s problems.
Also, random articles on Medium or a visit to Dr. Google are no substitute for professional help if required. At the very least, reach out to friends and family. Don’t suffer in silence. Consider BetterHelp, for example.
The world we live in
The world is unpredictable and there’s only so much you can control.
But a core principle is to build a better connection with your internal world to help navigate the external world.
It’s about aligning mind, body and spirit.
It’s just a simple framework. It’s there to help build understanding, resilience, and a sense of peace. These will be all needed once the recession bites.
Let’s start with your mind.
The Mind
“You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice that thorns have roses.”
Mental health is a huge topic right now. I won’t suggest that I’m in any way clinically trained to diagnose. Always seek out professional help when required.
Here, I’ll merely impart some thoughts that have worked for me and in my coaching.
Let’s start with how you choose to show up in the world.
Attitude is everything. It can help reframe your situation, reframe your emotions, reframe the world. The quote above, allegedly from Abraham Lincoln, captures that.
Easier said than done, of course. If it was that easy, we’d all be zen, living our best life.
But there’s the inner chatter, the monkey mind, the shadow, and all other metaphors to represent the distracting messaging in our heads. We can’t get rid of it. It comes from being human. What we can do is quieten it, engage with it and build a better relationship with it. Work with it, not against it.
I’ve recently started using a free affirmation app (ThinkUp), where you record your voice speaking your affirmation. I’m programming my mind (hopefully).
Another route is meditation. It helps me connect with the present moment and not get lost in the past and future. I become more mindful (and no doubt you’re fully aware of the power of mindfulness and it most certainly takes the edge off of things.
And the science that backs meditation and mindfulness is compelling.
A couple of free resources I’ve used:
- Medito app
- Meditation Oasis. I’ve used this on and off for years. Very soothing voice.
You’ve lost your job. Your stock portfolio has collapsed. You could go on…But try to take a step back and re-jig your focus. Be grateful. Be positive. These are just a couple of mindsets.
This isn’t about being in denial. “Toxic positivity” is the problem with a lot of happy-clappy approaches. There’s even a book on it.
It’s about embracing where you are and having some perspective.
The fact that you’re reading this means that you’ve reached a level of education, which is more than can be said for a huge section of the world. If you have running water, electricity, and access to the internet, you’re also ahead.
It’s easier said than done trying to look at life through such rose-tinted glasses. It’s not easy. But the aim is to get out of your own way. It’s to be in a more resourceful state in which to respond, rather than the stain of victimhood.
It’s about trying to positively create and be at peace. To look for possibilities rather than drown in uncertainties.
Connect to yourself, to your potential, to your emotions.
The Body
Exercise
Confession time. I need to make time for exercise. Work and a young family haven’t helped. But health needs to be a priority.
My daily stretches and push-ups regime is a start. 30 push-ups each day for the last two years, regardless of hangovers, vaccinations, and early starts. Any exercise beyond that is a bonus for me. My goal is to build a good balance of cardio, strength training, and stretching.
Sleep
I’ve been a poor sleeper for years. My nocturnal eating, drinking and TV habits didn’t help. But I’ve tried to turn things around with better sleep hygiene routines (e.g. turning off screens long before bedtime and avoiding night-time snacking).
But the last year has seen more significant advances. Firstly, I discovered the YouTube of Michael Sealey. He’s an Australian voiceover actor that does sleep videos. They are brilliant if you’re looking for a background voice to fall asleep to (that isn’t your significant other).
Then last Christmas I was also given a pair of Bose Sleepbuds. Life changers. They are wireless earbuds designed specifically for sleep. They block out noise, pipe through various relaxing soundtracks, and zone me out. Would I have bought them? No. Am I glad that someone else did? Absolutely.
Nutrition
I’m no nutritionist but time has taught me the importance of having the right quality fuel in the body. Be more sensible on the carbs. Don’t overdo it on the red meat. Manage the sugars. Drink more water.
Growing up, I had no time for salads. These days my body lets me know if my fruit and veg intake are falling short.
Maybe this isn’t the top of your priorities in an economic downturn. That doesn’t mean you can’t be intentional in how you eat and drink. It will ensure you’re in the right state to deal with your mood, your energy levels, and your health.
The Spirit
“If you have two coins, spend one on bread and the other on a flower. The bread will give you life. The flower a reason to live.”
The section is all about the flower.
I don’t know whether I’m meant to have one purpose. I do believe I’m meant to live purposely. So that captures the idea of being truer to myself, having a North Star, or an inner compass.
Sorting out your money and career is great. But for what? Why do you do what you do?
Maybe it’s for your family, your community, your religion, your country, Mother Earth. Maybe it’s about climbing Mount Fuji, running with the bulls, or opening an orphanage. It’s about living a life bigger than the delights of the 9–5. A life worth living.
A few podcasts have helped me think about life in that context:
Surround yourself with the right people. People that lift you up rather than drag you down. People that make you want to do better, be better. Same as your environment. You don’t have to be a product of your environment.
And if you are being dragged down by life, what are you “tolerating”? Write a list. Then look to treat, tolerate or terminate elements on the list. That’s everything from a leaky faucet to a bad relationship. Create a life worth living.
And finally
To finish off, I want to touch on a quote by Viktor Frankl in his excellent Man’s Search for Meaning:
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”
Frankl found his meaning through suffering, trying to survive the unimaginable environment of a Nazi concentration camp.
Most of us will never face such hardships. But our ability to respond to what life throws at us, while taking responsibility for our lives, are major factors in creating meaning in challenging times.
So when the recession does rear its ugly head, it’s not just about how you secure your finances and your job. It’s how you show up in life.
I’m a finance guy by trade with an additional background in career and life coaching.
Essentially, I created Spiritworth with the ambitious goal to help others “raise their spirit and raise their (net and self) worth.” A bit grandiose, perhaps, but you’ve got to shoot for something.
Join me on the journey by joining as a member to support Medium writers https://medium.com/@spiritworth/membership
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