By Sharon Worsley » In tough economic times such as what we are experiencing now, many of us have the tendency to be gloomy about the present and our future. We can find ourselves not only feeling negative, but speaking to others with this negative tone, thereby spreading these feelings around our environment.

Is it any wonder that we start to feel depressed, non responsive to our life and unmotivated to do anything about it? In fact, some of us will relegate ourselves to the living room sofa and spend our free time watching TV or sit at our computer mindlessly surfing the internet instead of taking any action, because we are trying to dull our fears.

There may be personal pressure on you right now within your family and/or work. You may be experiencing an overwhelming feeling to just run away (don’t do it, you will feel better eventually, plus they will probably find you!)

So what do you do? The first thing I recommend is to make a list of what you are grateful for. Now I don’t want you to think I am getting all touchy feely here. But honestly, the best way we can appreciate where we are is to take the time to realize what we can be thankful for right at this moment. Perhaps, it is that we have a family that loves us and depends on us. Or in the case of work, maybe being grateful for even having a job in these tough times, when so many are unemployed, may seem hard for us to do but it is absolutely necessary.

How can you expect more in your life when you are not grateful for what you have right now? If your job is weighing you down at the moment because the boss is riding your case, or the numbers you are expected to produce have dropped off, wouldn’t it be a good idea to sit back and remember why you originally decided to work here? Way back, when you first started this job, there was likely a feeling of wanting to work here. What were the reasons? Have they changed, or have you changed?

Can you become reengaged in your job somehow, can you make changes so that you can again enjoy what you do each day? This will often take off some of the pressure you are experiencing. Now this may take some thought, and perhaps a conversation with your boss and/or coworkers, but could prove to be beneficial.

Is this the best time to be out looking for a new job? Maybe it is, and if so what are you doing about it right now? With tough times here and ahead, it may be worth taking some courses to upgrade your knowledge and skills to put you in a position of being more employable elsewhere. Or maybe it is time to get out that old resume, dust it off and update it so that if something comes along you are already prepared and not sitting up all night feverishly attempting to get it together.

Or it might be a great idea to take some courses that are not work related, so that you can break the habit of feeling the doom and gloom of the times and instead have something to look forward to; even if this is just a cooking class once a week.

Right now many of us are feeling personal pressure to tighten our belts and find ways to make our existing income go further. There is an abundance of websites, books and resources that will assist you in these efforts. Instead I would like to focus on the attitude you currently have about your life and the future.

Do you even know what you want, or where you are right at this moment? Many of us live our lives on automatic and instead of being actively engaged in designing the life we want, we sit back and let it roll on by, right before our eyes. We have a mindset of “why even bother”. Well, because if you don’t bother, no one else will!

Are you managing your expectations of what is currently possible for you? Do you see yourself trapped with no way out? Maybe it is not as bad as you see it. Perhaps with an attitude adjustment, this downturn we are experiencing will afford you the opportunity to reinvent some part of your life.

Sure, no one wants to curtail their spending, make sacrifices or worry about their job security, but what are the hidden gifts being presented to you right now? For instance, if you are worried about your job, have you looked at creating your own part time business?

You would be surprised at how many ways there are to be making extra cash. Yes, you might have to give up some of that free time spent surfing the channels or browsing the internet, and even get a bit uncomfortable, but wouldn’t it be worth it?

Remember everything happens in cycles and that this is not the first time many of us have experienced a downturn in the economy. I can also promise you that this will not be the last time in our lives that this occurs. However, how you deal with all of this is in your control.  

• Sharon Worsley, CEO of Live With Intent, is a personal leadership coach and motivational speaker. Her signature keynote ‘Live By Choice, Not By Chance’ assists individuals and organizations to become clear on how they can ensure the quality of their life or organization. Sharon can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it