WHEN

People ask when. When will the economy get better? When will the anxiety end? When will things get back to normal? The answer might not be what you want to hear.

The economy will get better when we get better. Better at living with gratefulness in our hearts. Better at seeing what we have instead of what we have not. And better at recognizing opportunities instead of roadblocks.

The anxiety will end when we realize we don’t have to live in a throughway society. We aren’t valued for the material things we possess. The things that make us wealthy, good health and loving relationships with family and friends are priceless and cannot be bought for any amount of money. Ah but that’s corny and doesn’t really ring true until you have lost the riches you took for granted.

Things will get back to normal when we adapt a new normal. How long will it take? Let’s see, how many people do you know who embrace change? My guess is not many. Change makes people feel uncomfortable. How many times have you heard “That won’t work, it’s not the way we do things” “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it” The thing is, people in power recognize these attributes in others and use them to keep people from seeing the broken systems we are living in today.

I’ve been around for a while, I’ve lived through some tough economies, but never have I seen it hit all people in all walks of life. Many have lost their jobs because low sales have forced companies to downsize, which in turn leads to poor customer service, which snowballs into continued lost sales. If you are in a service industry, i.e. waitress, stylist, dentist you still suffer. People cut back on going out to eat and if they do go out they make cutbacks in tips. People still need their hair done but can space out visits to save money. And growing unemployment means loss of healthcare, the Dental and Vision are too expensive to supplement, so people do without. Even the wealthy feel pressure not to flaunt an extravagant lifestyle in the midst of so much economic suffering, which leads to low sales of luxury items.

I believe we have reached the tipping point where we have to reevaluate our place in the world and realize it IS all about you, but you are connected to everyone else, so the question becomes; when will we act with thoughtfulness for our community and the planet instead of just ourselves?

As long as you see 1.8 million dollar CEO salaries for health insurance companies, you will not have a system that can relate to the costs of health care. As long as you have billion dollar oil tycoons, you will see fights against alternative clean energy. It isn’t until the whole system fails, and money stops to flow, that powerful people begin to make changes. It’s OK to be wealthy just not at the expense of the health and welfare of other people and the planet.

So in answer to the question above, the WHEN is NOW! Live outside the Drama. Look at all you have, access to technology if you are reading this, intelligence, the ability to give if not money then time, expertise and love. You know it can be a fun game to take notice of things you take for granted. Maybe it’s worn and comfortable sheets, heat, the ability to walk without assistance, a pet that likes to cuddle on your lap, even if it weighs 80lbs!

We are all in this together. Look at the “bad times” as moments of contrast to help you see how good, good really is! See these times as challenges to be all that you are capable of being. Believe me, you are more than you think you are. You are perfection because God, the Universe or whatever you believe in, only does perfect work.