Good habits for coping with a bad economy

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Most of us know the story by now: With less than a year to live, Professor Randy Pausch made a “last lecture” to an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University. The impact was phenomenal. Despite facing certain death (from pancreatic cancer), Randy charmed and inspired the audience with his story about achieving childhood dreams. Though Pausch is now deceased, millions of people have seen or read the lecture on the Internet.

 

I was one of them. It was truly awesome. Randy was talking about what really mattered in life. Shortly thereafter, something ironic happened. I completely forgot his last lecture. The grind of work and responsibilities had me in its grasp and the lecture evaporated along with it.

 

Why, I wondered. Eventually, I concluded that only a fixed habit will stay firm in the vortex of life.

 

Now, once again, we are faced with a new crisis, a global economic meltdown. Not exactly imminent death, but distressing, even life-altering, nonetheless. What can psychology offer?

 

Much, it turns out. But the real question, to me at least, is whether good advice has staying power. Can we truly practice it?

 

Habit, I believe, is the key to a happy and healthy life. The more unconscious the habit, the better the result. Plenty of great wisdom exists out there, psychological and otherwise. Making it a lifetime habit is what makes the difference. That is the hard part.

 

Faced with death, Professor Pausch rose to the occasion. Now faced with a dismal economic near-future, we have the opportunity to develop the habit of an inspired life as well. Here are my recommendations:

 

Look on the bright side.

Perhaps you think I am joking, or worse yet, callous and insulting. I’m being neither. It is, I believe, a time for silver linings, such as, “This is a good opportunity to strengthen the bonds of a relationship,” or “to become closer to friends and family” and so forth. Our intimate relationships are no less of an investment than our financial ones, and in the long run, pay the higher dividends.

 

Be very conscious of your inner dialogue, particularly the demons of negativity. Do not speak, think or write volumes of propaganda against yourself. See it for what it is and then do your best to ignore it. Be patient and understanding. You will eventually, if you practice faithfully, get a handle on this.

 

If you have children, keep them well-informed.

Kids usually recognize, at some level, what is going on, so keep them in the loop. Refrain from doomsday talk – it is even worse for young ears. Simple but forthright explanations are usually helpful, especially combined with productive plans for the near future.

 

Therapy and beyond

If you feel bad, take affirmative steps to help yourself and those close to you. If you have the resources or insurance to do so, get involved in psychotherapy. It will help you feel a lot better.

 

If psychotherapy is not an option, consider reading one or more of the many self-help books available in your local bookstores (or online). I have read a number of these and found them surprisingly useful. Dr. Aaron T. Beck, for example, is a gifted author about depression. So too is Dr. Kay Jamison. Besides traditional psychology, I also found Joe Goldstein’s book, “On Dharma,” to be a wonderful guide on the meditative lifestyle.

 

On the other hand, many self-help books are tedious or worse. Don’t let them prejudice you toward all the others. Be discriminating and find ones that are appealing. The Internet is a good source of psychological information as well. The American Psychological Association, for example, has the APA Help Center.

 

Finally, if this economic crisis has taken a severe psychological toll on you, take the necessary steps to remedy this as well. Countless Americans in all walks of life (and celebrities in high numbers) have benefited from in-patient psychiatric centers, as well as medications for psychological symptoms. If your alcohol or drug usage has escalated, find treatment for it.

 

Perhaps most importantly: All good advice is worthless without practicing it. Psychological turmoil is inevitable in an economic crisis. Recognize and acknowledge this. Do what you can to help yourself and your family. Remember, although misery loves company, love and the right company can also alleviate misery.

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