Sushi Money

Have you had enough of recession-talk yet?  I’ve finally reached the point where if we are in a recession, or if we will be in a recession simply doesn’t matter.  U.S. economic growth has slowed down in many areas.  It may slow even more, or it may pick up a bit.  In either case we’re muddling along looking for new ways to grow the economy.  It’s really not that bad statistically, and yet even with mild economic data, the nation’s mood is gloomy. 

“If you compare where the economy was at the end of March [2008] with where we were at the beginning of the year, there is no question the economy is down by just about every measure,” said Martin Feldstein, the former chief economic adviser to Ronald Reagan who now heads the National Bureau of Economic Research, which formally “declares” U.S. recessions.

Many folks are worried about the job market and are struggling with the worst housing slump in decades. But it also seems that talking about what’s wrong with the economy is like a sport or play-by-play event for the media these days. Everybody’s asking, “Are we there yet?” while some people proclaim that the recession is just beginning.

“Even if the capital markets crisis resolves, it does not mean that this country will not go into a bad recession,” said JP Morgan Chase CEO James Dimon, whose bank saw its first-quarter profit fall by half due to the recent collapse of the U.S. mortgage market. “The recession just started.”

Well, okay.  That’s all fine and dandy.  But while the media keeps looking for a story to spin, one of these days people are going to tire of all the negativisim and look for more positive, constructive approaches to daily life and rebuilding the economy. 

It is an election year of course, and the politicians will continue bashing each other for what’s wrong with our current situation.  But they had better start thinking about 2009.  Whoever wins the election this year is going to have their work cut out for them.  I don’t know about you, but come next year I want all the problems solved!  Lower gas and food prices, a growing economy, a rising stock market, and peace across the world.  A little unrealistic to be sure, but sometimes we need to step back and gain a little perspective.

It could always be a lot worse, such as for the more than 18,000 people in China or between 60,000 to 100,000 people in Myanmar who have perished in recent weeks.  Katrina was pretty bad, but was not even comparable to what these nations are dealing with.  In Myanmar the government is barely acknowledging the devastation and not allowing humanitarian aid to reach the people who need it. And while the people of Myanmar wait desparately to get help, their government is keeping the food for its own purposes.  That’s one of the problems with dictatorships. The numbers of human lives affected are staggering to consider, and what is left for the living will take years of rebuilding. 

From the context of natural disasters, most of us are doing pretty well.  Regardless of how gloomy one feels about the U.S. economy, it’s really pretty darn good compared to most places around the world.  We’ve talked about recessions before, and what’s important.

But on an individual level I submit that what you call it really doesn’t matter.  What matters is what we are doing individually and collectively to improve opportunity and economic well-being for ourselves and our families. 

Nobody enjoys paying so much money for gas, or cutting back spending in a lot of areas just to get by.  But this is where we are, and I find myself looking for ways to appreciate and improve our lives regardless of the challenges. We the living must continue to grow and build our lives and families.  When the economic news starts getting tiresome, a little perspective goes a long way.

A beautiful spring morning today after a week of cold and rain. Finally, the sun is shining and the days are warming. The spring season has come and nature is busy renewing the cycle of life. Amazing how just a change in the weather can beget a sense of hope and optimism. I think it presents a good case for all those naysayers about the economy, the dollar and the U.S. in general. All is not lost, we are just riding through a tough patch right now. One of these days very soon, we will find more signs of hope and optimism, and the media will begin extolling the virtues of positive living instead of how awful everything is.

As usual, Ben Stein gets it right, and reminds us that a little effort goes a long way:

“…even in a recession, there’s always a shortage of talented, hardworking people in every field. Be one and, even if the recession gets really bad, you can whistle past the graveyard. You may have to move locations. You may have to learn new skills. But a willingness to work will get you everywhere you want to be”

A willingness to work. Is that all that’s necessary? Even in the face of great financial challenges? Well yes, the challenges are there. Gas and grocery prices are through the roof and people are questioning themselves and wondering what they could do to better prepare for this situation.

I think what bothers many people is that regardless of how much we prepare, plan and work to reach a certain point- it seems like something can come along and whack us alongside the head when we least expect it. But isn’t that always true? After all, it happens every day with accidents, problems at work, and even challenges at home with family.

Some politicians even think we’re so bitter about it all that we’re clinging to our beliefs instead of embracing them for who we are and how we choose to live. I don’t know, are you really bitter? I’m sure there are more than a few folks that have been laid off, and are struggling to find a job, and bitter might be a descriptive word at times.

But if we’re walking around in a bitter frame of mind, how helpful is that going to be to get us out of our funk and improve our lives? I don’t think it’s helpful at all, and more than that it borders on being self-destructive. Let’s face it, everybody has challenges. Just when we think we’ve got it bad, we meet someone else who has it a lot worse. Like the old expression where “I used to feel bad about having no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.”

It is so often a matter of perspective. How many of us even consider the challenges that other people may face each day? I received a stark reminder to that question the other day when the husband of an acquaintance passed away suddenly in the night leaving little-to-nothing behind for the family. No insurance, no pension. Maybe a little social security, but he was only 42. This woman is a hard-working individual who gives much of her personal time volunteering and helping others, while raising two children at home and working part-time. Now her husband is gone, and she is trying to find full-time work and is struggling to figure out how to support her family. Most of us never knew how financially challenged this family was until after the children’s father passed away. People are now coming together to donate and help her, and contribute to the children’s college funds.

Rather than let feelings of frustration or anger or bitterness govern my attitude, I am reminded to appreciate what we have each day. We may not be able to control the price of gas, or the price of our stocks. We may not be able change the price of milk or a loaf of bread. Sure we can influence those things with our opinions and our ability to vote for leaders we believe in.

But even if we can’t control the external things we encounter in our lives, I think we can control our response to them. And by being aware of our response, ultimately we influence what comes into our life. Sounds like a bunch of hooey perhaps. But if I know anything about the last several decades of my life, it is that my attitude determines my outcome.

What we put in to something, and the mindset we take with us ultimately influences what we’re going to get out of it. We can choose to participate in the growth and success of our lives, or we can choose to ride the bus of our emotions, and go along for a ride to a destination unknown. Sometimes that bus carries a lot of other folks emotions as well. Me? I prefer to drive myself when it comes to my growth and life goals.

It all starts with attitude and a willingness to consider alternatives.

At one point in my life I was bagging groceries and cleaning bathrooms. With a college degree. Was that a horrible, awful, humiliating experience? Absolutely not. Some folks thought so perhaps. But it gave me cash and the freedom to work towards other goals. Cleaning the bathrooms was part of my job as a lifeguard that also let me swim and stay in shape for free. Through those jobs I met people that led me in directions I might never have considered before, and ultimately to a career doing what I loved.

Even with the challenges we face today, it’s important to have a positive, constructive attitude, to be open-minded and to consider alternatives. You never really know where they might lead.