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Companies are closing, pension accounts are being drained, unemployment is going up, folks are losing their homes and the bankruptcy rate is escalating. Istock_000003637738XsmallMany feel as if they’re walking through scary times as they watch their piggy banks sink.

It all sounds like a train wreck in another state- something tragic but also distant While we’re empathetic, the impact is lessened because it doesn’t affect us personally. Until it does. Then, very suddenly, things shift and it becomes very real, very fast.

Just this past week I’ve had some personal issues with some real estate investments that are now upside down. Additionally, several of my best friends are facing financial crisis in their lives. Due to the bank cutting off their lines of credit, one has already lost his business, while another is trying to creatively save his business, home and family from bankruptcy. Suddenly this financial crisis we’ve been hearing about for the last year has gotten very up close and personal.

The odd thing for me is that these are some of my “well to do” friends- people that I thought were untouchable. They play a bigger game then I do. One friend has a manufacturing company and has millions of dollars of guaranteed orders to fill, but doesn’t have the several hundred thousand to purchase the materials to complete the order, due to the tightening of credit.

My friends and I have asked ourselves why this is happening. What’s the lesson here to be learned? As one friend said, “I know this builds character, but don’t I have enough of that already?” It’s frustrating when you do the best you know how and yet “bad stuff” still happens.

I don’t think this is about building character, or things that we did wrong, or errors on our part. I don’t think it’s about good people being rewarded and bad people being punished. This is such a global problem that it is bound to affect most of us in one way or another, and at this point we all know someone who has been affected by the economic downturn.

I believe it’s all part of a much greater picture and we’re only seeing one piece of the puzzle. Although it’s easy to judge this now as “bad”, we can’t yet know what blessings will come from these difficult times. More millionaires came from the depression (per capita) than from any other time period.

Istock_000002702096XsmallInstead of focusing on the losses and lamenting over the would haves and should haves, let’s move forward, set our intentions and goals for what we desire and move in that direction. And, let’s do that in spite of what’s showing up around us. That’s the fun part- not getting sucked into the drama of life.

If I only have so much energy in the day, I choose to spend it on things that matter! This downturn has certainly made it easier for us to prioritize what matters and what doesn’t. We spend so much of our time trying to “get ahead” and acquire stuff, but when it comes down to it- stuff doesn’t matter. People do. Experiences do. Things like our health, well-being and love- they matter. A new car suddenly isn’t important.

We just have to believe that abundance is still there for us- even if we can’t see it today. Just like the sun is still there on a cloudy day even if you can’t see it, abundance is still there for you when the road looks scary. Keep on walking. Keep focusing on the big picture and not on the dark colored pieces. With faith, perseverance and the love and support of good friends, we can get through even the most difficult times.

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Gail Lynne Goodwin is the founder of InspireMeToday.com, bringing the best inspiration to the world. InspireMeToday.com provides free inspiration, each day from a new Inspirational Luminary, to a global community of folks from over 150 countries. Gail has interviewed many well-known names including Sir Richard Branson, Guy Laliberte, Seth Godin, Tony Hseih, Gary Vaynerchuk, Michael Gerber, Marci Shimoff, Jack Canfield and hundreds more. According to Mashable, Gail was one of 2009's Top 25 Most Inspirational People on Twitter.

Prior to InspireMeToday.com, Gail spent several years as manager for her recording artist daughter, Carly. As a result of the success of their co-penned song, "Baby Come Back Home", Gail accompanied her daughter to bases in the US and to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where Carly performed for our troops. Gail and Carly created the 'World's Longest Letter' of love and support and delivered the 18-mile long scroll on a month-long tour of Iraq and the Persian Gulf in 2006.

Gail is excited to present her latest course, Love in 21 Days, a step-by-step guide to finding love online. Love in 21 Days is founded on a logical process that has been tested - and proven! - by not only Gail, but also by students around the world who too have found love.

Gail is a published author and a regular writer for the Huffington Post. She offers mentoring and mastermind services to clients worldwide from her home in Whitefish, Montana. Follow Gail on Twitter or Google+.

This Post Has 5 Comments

  1. Great reading! Thanks for always encouraging the positive side of things. I agree with you 100%.

    Jessica

  2. Gail,

    Wow, I’m sorry that your friends are facing such difficult times. You’re so right about these experiences helping to refocus our attention on what is most important and meaningful. I hope we all can grow stronger from the challenges we’re facing today.

    Peace,
    Scott

  3. Hello Gail,

    Wonderful site!!! I hope you will take a few minutes to check out my web site. I would love to share my story with you.

    Many Blessings,
    Terry Grahl

  4. Hi Gail,
    I love your inspiring words. I found you through Twitter. It is amazing what comes our way just when we need it! My husband and I have lost 2 homes and 1 business in the last few months. I am 51 and he is 58. We are currently living in a camper. We moved from Georgia, where our family is, to Florida for a job he was able to get. We have had many days of feeling sorry for ourselves, feeling scared, ashamed, depressed to many feelngs to actualy name them all! But we are trying to hold on to our faith and to lean on each other. When I am having a bad day he makes sure I laugh and I try to do the same for him. It has actually , in an odd way been good for our marriage. We were those people trying to accuire more things and at the sametime growing apart. But we didn’t really realize how much till this happened to us. We are still trying to find our way in all of this but we are better today than we were yesterdy! Thanks for a place to share our story and to realize we aren’t alone.
    Anita

  5. Dear Anita,

    Your story touched my heart. I am grateful that our paths have crossed.

    I’ve never run across so many people in really difficult places as I have in the last few months. It can be scary at times, but somehow helps to know that you’re not experiencing this alone. I’m glad to hear this has brought you and your husband closer. Funny how things sometimes have to be negative for us to grasp what really matters in our lives.

    Losing homes and businesses is happening all around us. I know the ashamed, what could I have done differently kind of feelings you described. No matter what the failure is, I think it’s the first place we all go. But, self blame doesn’t get us anywhere. The only thing that will pull us out of that situation and propel us forward is love. Love for ourselves, for each other and for the world.

    So, I send you love. I send you hope. May you wake up each morning knowing that you are not alone, that you are still successful- regardless of what may be showing up and most importantly, that you are loved. Beaming good wishes and hugs to you and your husband.

    Hugs,

    Gail

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