It’s very difficult and frightening to lose what you’ve worked so hard for, particularly your home and your job, and the security that they provide.
Yet, what matters most is how we respond to the situation. With courage and a positive attitude and outlook, you are more likely to get back to a situation where you feel comfortable and secure.
I have a hard-working friend who lost his beautiful home, all his money, and even his car. As a result of this financial crisis, he also lost his wife.
Of course he has tremendous regrets about his lost financial security, but his life seems to have changed for the better. With an amazingly positive attitude, he has not dwelled on what could have been.
He’s now renting a home, has few expenses, practically no debt, and can live on a lot less money than before. His lack of stress is clear to everyone who knows him. He feels much lighter than before, and is able to enjoy friends and sports activities without the pressure of carrying such a a heavy burden and having to make a lot of money.
My mother too lost her home, as well as her friends and family members in WWII Germany, but she did not lose her ability to focus on what she did have — the present moment and the choice to learn and work hard, and most of all, to be grateful for what she did have. With that attitude she became an inspiration to others — another benefit to those who maintain a positive outlook.
by Alison Poulsen, PhD