It is a Thursday afternoon, I have taken the day off and am working on a project at Starbucks. About an hour ago the sky was pitch black, it crazy rained and then the sun returned. My cup of coffee has a slightly strong acidic taste to it so I’ve added a generous helping of cream and a packet of sugar in the raw to make it palatable. I’m watching the people walking back and forth, some are in a hurry, but most are strolling slowly, and seem to be enjoying the day.
Life is good.
I find that I’m increasingly in good spirits. It’s as if all of this work that I’ve been doing to improve my life has opened up a groundswell of optimism, hope, and I feel like anything and everything is possible if I work hard enough and believe in myself.
It hasn’t been easy. I’m unmarried and all of my friends are married, and my mom is my biggest cheerleader. I have debt that will still take years to pay off, and I have an extra 27 pounds that just.won’t. go.away!
I’m happy anyway.
I live in a great place, I believe I will meet someone, I’m exercising, paying off my debt, and growing a pair. Because I have 2 choices: let this get me down (been there, done that) or step it up and prove to myself that I can have all that I dream of for myself.
This frame of mind is a huge departure from the Depression (the Great Recession) years. And so in keeping with my feeling of hope and general happiness I want to let you know that “I’m OVER YOUR ECONOMIC PESSIMISM!!”
If you are telling yourself everyday that the economy sucks, than it does and it will for you. No matter what you try to do. If you continue to live in a place that has only one economy and it’s in the shitter…and you can move, but you don’t-I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT!
Manifest Destiny. Do you remember that from high school? We expanded or died in this country. We sought out opportunities and then we created opportunities when we couldn’t find them. I was one of you. I just didn’t think anything would get better. I paid small amounts on my debts, I dreamed small dreams, and I talked about all the things that weren’t going well for me in my life. And believe me, there were a lot of crappy things and I was right to be upset. But there is a point when you have to stop and ask yourself-is there anything I can do to change my reality?
Your pessimism blocks your ability to dream big and make things happen. Small actions taken everyday, can make a big difference. If I have to hear your complaints about how the economy sucks then I have to counter with the following questions: is there a need in your community that is unfulfilled? How many industries exist in your community? Do leaders in your community embrace innovation and take risks? Are people moving away from your area or to your area? Are you trying every single day to find opportunities?
Do you watch negative t.v. shows, listen to angry people on the radio, and deal with angry people in your real life? Do you find yourself complaining angrily about other people? The President, the Homeless, Congress? What are you doing about it? If you’re not doing anything about it-I don’t want to hear it anymore.
Your killing my chilled out vibe.
Your pessimism also kills opportunities for you and the economy. Economic growth is based on optimism. And while Congress, the President, and World Events are a downer-none of this is new.
Each decade has its crap.
Part of having crap, is learning how to deal with it. Where did our metaphorical “balls” go? How did we become such a whiny bunch?
It’s time to pull ourselves together and understand that whatever we want for ourselves comes from hard work, daily effort, failures, and digging deep.
I can only say all these things because I was an economic pessimist. And, being pessimistic about so many things in my life sent out a vibe to the universe that I wasn’t open to all of the opportunities and possibilities that are out there.
Not anymore.
So, if you’re too negative and a downer I will gently let you know. Then, if things don’t change, I’m going to avoid you. I don’t want you to block my good chi. I worked too hard on getting to this place.
Now, listen to this chilled out song. Boom.
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Hi Michelle! You should come and visit my finance site. I’m all about optimism. I know lots of people say, ‘hey check out my site blah blah’, but I reckon I’ll strike a chord with you. Pessimism has no place with the economy. I agree, hope is important in our own financial gains!! Anyway, i’ve liked you on facebook and look forward to your next posts 🙂
Thanks Toby, I’ve bookmarked your blog too! I’m over pessimism-it really hasn’t worked for me. I’m trying to use positive energy, vibes keep me focused as I try to move forward in life. The more positive I am the better things get-I like it. Good luck on your journey!
Amen! Such a great post. If you think life sucks and you don’t think things will change, then guess what? Things will suck and they won’t change. I’ve spent the past summer feeling sorry for myself and bitter but I’m channeling all that energy into making myself a better person.
Thanks Athena! I’ve just learned the very, very hard way that my thoughts have power. Also, how I deal with adversity says a lot about my own personal drive and focus. It’s not always going to be easy in life. And it’s guaranteed that we will have both good and bad days, so I’ve just decided that I have decide my “how” How will I deal with adversity. I’m going to stand up and fight! And try to be as positive as possible.
I love this post and your attitude, Michelle! I totally agree. Life is what you make it and if you chose to be happy and healthy, that’s what you’ll be. I decided a few years ago to stop being afraid of money (something that I felt was all around me after the recession) and instead I educated myself, read up about personal finance and wealth strategies and my life has never been better. Just because you’re not a millionaire (yet), doesn’t mean you don’t have a rich life.
Congrats on the six-figure net worth, even if you do have a little bit of lingering debt. You’ll be rid of it soon!
It’s interesting that you mention fear of money. I think that a lot of us are driven by fear of not having enough, fear of the process, fear of accumulating too much. I’ve also been working on my fears, and have felt a lot more empowered than before. It’s almost as if instead of letting money happen to me, I’m happening to my money. It sounds like we’re on a similar financial journey in terms of educating ourselves and feeling good about where we are at. Everyday I am more and more aware of how good I have it and I am trying to focus on being thankful for what I do have. It’s a great place to be!
Right on! I’m so tired of listening to people bitch and moan and complain about how they can’t get ahead and the economic is terrible and the job market is dead. Sure there are institutional barriers that sometimes get in the way, but what are you (the proverbial you) doing to make it better? Sitting around whining and saying “poor me” isn’t going to get you ahead. I’m right there with you riding the “life is good” train!
I am over it too. I have a lot of things that I could whine about that I haven’t whined about on the blog-LEGIT stressful sh$t. But, there is a point when I have to decide, will I let life happen to me or happen to life? To the degree that you can have an effect on the stuff that occurs in our lives. I’m trying to meditate, ride my bike, stay focused on some personal goals, and move forward towards what I want for myself.
I’m happy that you’re happy! Thinking negative thoughts has a power over you and your actions. So flip it around and think happy thoughts 🙂
I have to work at it everyday, but I’m a hell of a lot happier than last year. I think there’s a point when it’s a choice. I’ve decided that I have a very blessed life and that things will work out. I have to be a part of that process though, if I think negative things, watch depressing stuff, gorge on negativity, then my outlook will be colored by what I’m am taking in. No more!