The world’s financial markets have posed a challenge to positive thinkers in recent days, weeks, months, and years. It is really difficult to be upbeat at a time when you are worrying about such things as whether your life savings or even your job will be there tomorrow. “What can go right?” is not, however, a question to be asked only during easy times. In fact, one of the benefits of positive thinking is that it allows you to have an alternative to rumination when times are tough.
At times like this, a good strategy is to look both to the past and to the future. A look to the past can help keep things in perspective. It can help remind us that no economic downturn has ever lasted forever. It can also remind us of our past accomplishments and strengths to handle difficult situations. A look to the future can help us reset goals in a difficult economy so that we can make ourselves more valuable to our employers and co-workers and make financial decisions and adjustments to weather this economic storm. It is important to recognize that many large and small fortunes got their start because of decisions made during difficult economic times.
Two helpful skills to develop at this time are the ability to tolerate ambiguity and the ability to stay active in taking charge of your life rather than passively allowing the course of events to do so. Think about what can go right, and then implement strategies to make it happen.
WHAT CAN GO RIGHT? The Thinking Person’s Guide to Making Good Things Happen, is a manual designed to use the principles of positive psychology and cognitive-behavioral therapy to enhance personal growth, achievement, and happiness. It is available as an ebook from the publisher at http://www.smashwords.com.
Ron Kaiser, Ph.D.
What Can Go Right? 