The Sky is Falling vs. Abundance

These days I find myself struggling between the negativity of the economic news and the pessimistic outlook we are bombarded with and trying to stay positive and optimistic.

Part of me feels if I try to remain optimistic, I can begin to question myself; am I just trying to ignore the realities of the economic situation? Or is the core of me just optimistic and always looking for the lessons learned and the positive possibilities. It's easy to feel the worry, the burden, and the uncertainty that looms over everyone as I go out about my day. The jobs losses, foreclosures, and lost stock revenues are very real. Yet, as easy as it seems to get caught up in the "sky is falling" feeling, I also realize it's a perspective. If I choose to stand and believe the sky is falling, I'll take actions in line with that feeling or outlook. To imagine a world or country where we all believe the sky is falling is not a perspective that is helpful or healing.

I have noticed that when I look at the economy and perhaps the message it is sending, I see a real opportunity to take responsibility to take a conscious look at what is happening. It's an opportunity to live life differently. For me, it's perhaps a way to live with less, to appreciate more, to spend time home instead of out spending time away. It's an awesome opportunity to live more simply and to slow down. It shifts me from the perspective of not enough and doom and gloom to abundance and appreciation.

In all challenges lie opportunities.