Recently I read an advisory that was given to me by a financial advisor.  Among 10 key reminders he had for investors was a reminder that in essence in difficult financial times the world does not come to an end.  He said that, “even in the worse of down times” life essentially goes on and people go about their business quite normally.

Yes, some of us are still going out to eat, going to movies, laughing, playing, and buying goods and services. Even still, many people in my business and social groups are feeling pretty mopey.  People very close to me have had their work weeks reduced with a loss of pay, lost clients, and lost jobs.  Most of the financial consultants with whom I have networking relationships either put on a brave smile and spout the dictated mantras or some, like my personal advisor, admit that he’s feeling the pressure from his clients’ concerns.  People are scared or worried.

Of course, being in the business I am in, and being a true proponent of that which I preach, I adhere to staying positive and believing that doing so will result in good things. The basis for this is probably my being in some ways old-fashioned, some touch of grace inherited from my family, or having all the advice sink in from my self-help book gurus. I usually stay fairly calm when things get tough.  That doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally go nuts from minor inconveniences or things that don’t go my way.  Yet, in rough times overall I usually fair well and in down times, I usually stay up.

Setting aside my blessings of family, health, friends, material comforts, etc. as explanation for my steadiness of spirit and mood under somewhat dismal circumstances, I attribute it to be the result of three mainstays: intuition, getting back to me, and persistence.  I would like to explain each of these further.

Intuition – Certain things my Dad often said have stuck with me and one goes something like this, “All the times that I have made colossal mistakes are because I listened to someone else.  When I listen to my gut, everything works out fine!”  Well, I don’t know which came first; that is, I learned to believe that because my Dad said it or because my experience taught me – I learned that listening to my intuition works.  Whenever I get into my head and try to figure things out, I either get quite confused or feel the need to gather consensus in order to know what to think or do.  Instead, when I get quiet, relax, and just listen for a voice, or what those who have come to know me hear me explain as a “knowing,” that I recognize within me a comforting, definite, very real sense that all is well.  Then, I just know what I must do.  Sometimes that’s nothing.  Worry or fear then is superfluous.  Everything is clear and comfortable.

Getting back to me – Something else I heard recently helped me to conceptualize this mainstay.  Again, a financial advisor was explaining on a morning television show that in order to budget successfully, one has to sit down, consider one’s core values, decide what’s important to him or her, and then decide how much to assign or limit spending in various areas of one’s possible expenses.  I do that in all aspects of my life decisions.  I ask myself what is important to me.  Again, I stop the noise.  I ask myself, “What do I really want?”  Then, I listen.  I base my decisions on the answers.  Sometimes it takes a few weeks to get clarity after I ask the question.  Then little signals start to appear.  A person says something that I catch that may be related.  Then I see a sign, a book, something that seems to be related as well.  Eventually, what I want and a course of action or an understanding is revealed.  Whether it’s finances, romance, situations with family, friends, work, or courses of action,  if one gets deep in the core of who he or she is by paying attention to what he or she wants or what is important, the path is truly revealed.  Sometimes this is referred to as being grounded and appears to be getting in touch with who you are after discarding other voices and influences.

Persistence - here again I give credit to my Dad whose favorite quote is a long one by Calvin Coolidge.  It begins, “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence,” and goes on to explain the shortcomings of other qualities to produce the desired results.  Personally, I prefer the shorter quote by Winston Churchill which simply says, “Never, never, never give up.”  I cannot quite figure out why this is such a steadfast truth, but it is.  Of course, if one is tense, afraid, and worried, this persistence thing just doesn’t work.  The law seems to be that fear, anxiousness, worry, and doubt override persistence and bring about the opposite or, at least, less than the desired result. Surrendering oneself to persistence seems to be the key.  In other words, keep at whatever it is you are doing to succeed at what you want, without doubting that success will be the outcome, and everything just works out.  Simple.  Trust in whatever you choose to trust be it a supreme being, the Universe, your higher self or something of your choosing, then relax and persist.  That’s my formula, my third mainstay.

These work for me and I hope they help you too.  Please comment on this blog and let us know what works for you – your formula.