Nuala Duignan, Life Coach writes of how you can bring yourself out of a less then inspiring state of mind and bring greatness into your every day life, even in these stressful recession times ...

Those who haven’t lost their jobs or been forced to take a pay cut, worry about the future. Fear and uncertainty as well as real suffering and poverty have come into many people’s lives. Our eyes have been opened to a new reality and it’s painful. We have discovered that so much of what sustained us and in which we invested has turned to clay. We were told the market system with its emphasis on greed and profit and material things could meet all our needs, now we know otherwise.

Examples of old money or essential money can be associated with individuals who never needed to display a false exterior. People are attracted to those individuals for their sense of worthiness and authenticity. New Money however or excessive wealth gained during the Celtic Tiger era gave the feeling of status attached to which were images of excess, e. g. that extra home, a sail boat, extravagant car etc. People can live in a delusion.

We can query which category we fall into? And which category would we wish to belong? Joy generally comes from decisions based on a positive value system Lao Tzu, famous Chinese philosopher stated: “the biggest problem in the world is that individuals experience themselves as powerless”.

Quiet Confidence

People with a highly developed sense of personal power have a quiet self-confidence that they can set the direction of their lives, and they do. They are able to distinguish among circumstances over which they have some control and those they do not. They define themselves from the inside out (for example, their internal self talk includes messages like “I am a capable person, I can manage this setback/this financial crisis. I am creative”).

The biggest barrier to success in almost any endeavor is the feeling of powerlessness, negativity, helplessness or inertia. Mahatma Gandhi had no army, never held or accepted political office, never used violence. He was a small, frail man; yet, he defeated the armed might of the British Empire, driving the British out of India without firing a single shot. How did he accomplish this? Personal power.

Personal power can move mountains. Personal power solves problems.

Keep moving in the direction of you goals, and enjoy the journey. You will be there before you know it!

Following on from above, do you find it difficult to credit that this dismal recession can have some benefits? The rule upholds though, that there is always an upside even to the worst crisis. So take a minute to try and consider some of those upsides!

Workplace in the Recession
It is during downtimes such as this one that innovation becomes more necessary and we turn our negatives into positives. It’s at times like these that real talent comes to the fore. Good teams made up of good staff are the key to great performance in the workplace. If ever there was a time for talent, it’s now. Companies who have excellent staff working for them and skilled professional candidates on their books have the key to the success. That staffs now have their chance to “shine”.

Employers are no longer willing to keep “under performers”. Organisations are becoming more lean and can’t afford to keep people who won’t put in the work. They need to get the same, or greater output from less numbers of employees essentially and can’t afford to “carry anyone” anymore. Employers are looking for people who have the positive “can–do” attitude, are solutions-focused and are willing to increase their own flexibility where possible. Today, employee’s ability to up-skill or cross-train will demonstrate that flexibility to their advantage. Failure to do so can be to their detriment. Really good management teams can make their businesses grow in periods like these with upped co-operation from their enthusiastic employees. While some companies are going under, others have never been busier.

Social Life in the Recession
As a country, the boom encouraged indulgence in our lives. What we’re faced with now however is where to channel our taste for what we got used to. Our minds become focused on what we need to hang on to in the name of “joie de vivre”. Once there’s the positivity factor and helping people feel good, we as a nation will “ride out the storm”. We remain courageous in the face of the downturn. Recessions come and recessions go!!

We’ve all had it good for a long time. Into all our lives, recently came the awareness that we’ve had it good!. The younger among us have never known anything but boom. The older have seen the ups and downs more than once. In the middle, is a generation who grew up during the Eighty’s Recession and came to adulthood when Ireland was learning how to earn and spend in equal measure. For all of us now, comes a time of reassessment and adjustment. The Doom and Gloom merchants would have us “shut down living” entirely!, but there are the invaluable few who don’t believe in giving up. Often they're the ones who worked hard and took nothing for granted in the good times. Even further, they valued business when it was plentiful as much as they will now cope now in the leaner times. We don’t have to go back, we move on forward and going forward with the positive attitude that made business successful in boom times will also get business through the doom times.

In my coaching practice I've seen the positive effects coaching has on anyone who is committed to making the best of themselves in any area of their lives. The fulfillment that someone can get when they obtain their goal is indescribable. I help you decide which goal you truly require and more importantly, help you get it.

Article written by: Nuala Duignan, Life Coach

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