| "It is not about extraordinary people; it is about | | | | spend what we don't have; credit and credit cards |
| ordinary people doing extraordinary things....like | | | | are not the same as cash.o We now spend more |
| taking ownership." | | | | time at home, we eat as a family, we are learning |
| Has this ever happened to you: You drive to | | | | to spend time again with each other and talk to |
| work but you can't remember any part of the | | | | each other more.o Dinner out is now more a |
| ride? Were you paying attention? | | | | treat than a routine.o Dessert out is as much fun |
| The good news is that you were watching and | | | | and more affordable than dinner out.o We do |
| paying attention, although indirectly. How your | | | | more family events using what we have; we look |
| brain seems to watch when you aren't has been | | | | at photos, remember events and reconnect to |
| explained to be this way: There is a part of your | | | | our kids, parents, cousins and grandparents, and |
| brain, in the middle of the back of your head, and | | | | what to what they remember, share and think.o |
| is about the size of the top of your little finger. I | | | | Track shoes and a two-mile jog around the |
| am sure it has a proper anatomical name but for | | | | neighborhood burns as many calories as a tread |
| now I'll call it the "secretary." This secretary takes | | | | mill, stairmaster or elliptical stepper at a gym.o We |
| over when what it perceives looks like what it | | | | use our now more limited weekly food money on |
| knows - it all looks the same (like the same ride | | | | real food and have eliminated many of the snacks |
| to work each day). It remembers where to stop, | | | | that are not good for us; we are starting to eat |
| where to turn, how fast to drive and as long as | | | | healthier.o We reconnected to our neighbors and |
| things are as expected, the secretary takes over | | | | learned to share our extra when they did not |
| and does a good job. When the secretary takes | | | | have enough; we are building our social networks |
| over, it allows the rest of your active brain to do | | | | face-to-face.o We hang up our clothes instead of |
| what it does best...think about other things; call it | | | | leaving them on the floor or on the chair; we do |
| daydreaming or just thinking, it is not actively | | | | less laundry, and we make things last.o We watch |
| focused on the drive. When the secretary | | | | the movies, wear the clothes and play the games |
| encounters some stimuli that it does not | | | | we forgot we had; we treasure what we have.o |
| recognize, it reactivates the active, thinking brain | | | | We waste less food, create less garbage and |
| for help (this is called "shocking the secretary"). So | | | | leave less of a footprint on the planet; we are |
| on your ride, it may be a siren, a clap of thunder | | | | more aware that supplies of things are limited - |
| or a detour - something out of the ordinary that | | | | and once gone, they may be gone for good.o We |
| shocks the secretary and reactivates full brain | | | | are less fixated on whether we have the newest, |
| thinking. Once reengaged, you are now more in | | | | shiniest, best or most expensive, in favor having |
| control, thinking and you remember. | | | | the right things that keep people healthy and |
| So what does this have to do with our recession? | | | | safe.o We drive our cars less, consume less gas |
| For the longest time we have been in autopilot - | | | | and learn about the great things in our |
| the secretary had taken over; we were doing the | | | | neighborhood; in the process we make our cars |
| same things over and over without any real direct | | | | last a little longer.o We slow down on the road |
| thought of or connection to its impact. Life got | | | | knowing that it conserves fuel and offers a view |
| faster and faster so we moved along with it, | | | | of some great things we generally didn't notice in |
| pulled in directions that made us work longer, | | | | our rush to get places.o We spend more time |
| spend more, spend less time with loved ones - | | | | with each other; we rekindle friendships that |
| we got busy doing what we always do. Life had | | | | evaporated when life became too busy to stay in |
| gotten to be like standing in line at the coffee | | | | touch.o We recycle more, go to garage sales, flea |
| shop - another day of "the usual." Everything | | | | markets and thrift stores. Bohemian and trendy |
| looked the same - the secretary was in charge; | | | | salvage styles are making a comeback.o We buy |
| we didn't notice, we didn't challenge, we didn't | | | | local produce that saves on fuel and gives us |
| remember. | | | | healthier things to eat.o We have learned to |
| Then, in what many people felt to be a sudden | | | | extend any meal by adding cans of things we had |
| event, the recession was on us; the economy | | | | in the pantry; we invent new family recipes; we |
| was in a free fall. Corporate institutions started | | | | use what we have.o We borrow books and |
| failing, retirement plans lost 40 or more percent | | | | movies from the library instead of buying new |
| of their value, jobs were cut and much of life | | | | ones.o We spend more time with crayons, glue, |
| started changing. We moved out of autopilot - the | | | | paper and a box to make great things and have a |
| economy "shocked our secretary;" it got our | | | | great time.o We are beginning to realize that a |
| attention. No more just showing up in work or life. | | | | gift is truly based on the thought instead of the |
| No more standard reactions. It reminded us that it | | | | cash value - and that a flower picked or a |
| is time to think, reassess, reevaluate, redefine and | | | | handmade card delivered at the right moment |
| realign. It is time for full brain thinking. The | | | | creates the right memory.o We learn how to talk |
| recession got our attention; we now must learn | | | | to each other again.o We get by without 700 |
| from it and use its tough but valuable lessons. | | | | cable channels of chatter and stuff.o We now |
| I am not a proponent of a recession. There are | | | | turn lights off when we are not in a room, reduce |
| so many people suffering because they now lack | | | | the amount of heat or air conditioning and are still |
| fundamental things that they need. This | | | | fine.o We live by the rule that for every bag that |
| commentary by no means minimized the | | | | comes into the house, two must go - one to |
| challenges that many people face. Because there | | | | trash/recycle, one to the needy.o We buy |
| are many downs, we must also look for and find | | | | day-old, discount and reduced-cost foods that help |
| the ups - our success is in our ability to weather | | | | us save money and improve our creativity in the |
| any tough period - to be optimistic and to find the | | | | kitchen.o We now treat things with more respect |
| value, the lessons and the improvements in any | | | | - a person, book, toy, car or other important |
| challenge. We can never throw in the towel; no | | | | thing.o We take a bike to work. We get our |
| matter how tough things become, we must | | | | workout, get to work and leave less of a impact |
| commit to finding and focusing on the positive. | | | | on the planet.o We rent out or share an extra |
| Our ability to survive, be healthy and grow as | | | | room with someone who can't afford their |
| people, families, communities and a nation is in our | | | | house.o We give all of the clothes that don't fit or |
| collective optimism and our collaboration in ideas | | | | we can't use to organizations that ensure it gets |
| and effort. We cannot always control events but | | | | distributed to those who use them.o We use |
| we can work to remain positive, so that we find | | | | coupons and look for the best deals before we |
| the energy and value in today to help us focus on | | | | buy; we understand what we buy instead of |
| building a better tomorrow. | | | | thinking that we'll throw it out and get another |
| History shows that a recession every now and | | | | one.o An afternoon out is now a walk around the |
| then is a "shock the secretary" type of event | | | | neighborhood, time at a park or appreciating |
| that can help us redirect and relearn in areas that | | | | nature, architecture, a view or the weather; there |
| have moved out of control. It can be used to | | | | doesn't have to be a purchase to make the |
| regroup, reconsider and realign. It has forced us | | | | afternoon valuable. |
| to think differently, own our performance and | | | | I remember how our lives changed after the 9/11 |
| decisions, and be more accountable to those at | | | | tragedy. Major events shock us out of being |
| home, at work, in the country and on the planet. | | | | complacent; they remind us we must be more |
| No more living life on autopilot, like the morning | | | | aware, more accountable and more responsible. |
| drive to work. It is time to see what a jolt to our | | | | Today's recession is a reminder to step up and be |
| pattern behaviors has done; it is time to get | | | | fully present to sort out the challenges, invent a |
| reconnected to thinking through the day and | | | | better response and learn a better way. If we |
| owning our performance. | | | | are to survive as a culture - and the world needs |
| We all had a hand in bringing about this recession. | | | | the optimism, creativity, innovation and regard for |
| How we over-spent, over-borrowed and let | | | | life, liberty and freedom that we bring - then we |
| autopilot behavior take over, is now creating our | | | | need to move ahead, chin up, learning some hard |
| challenges. So, as we take greater accountability | | | | but meaningful lessons. Stay positive, get back to |
| for our actions, we must learn to be better, to be | | | | your core, go through life with your eyes open |
| more in control of our impact and to think instead | | | | and your mind thinking. This will equip you with the |
| of respond. To start this process of always | | | | abilities to see and respond. No more mindless |
| getting better, let's dwell for just a minute on the | | | | meandering. Extraordinary thinking powers your |
| positive outcomes and a few of the lessons | | | | world; it also creates a responsible, mindful and |
| learned from our recession:o We realize we can't | | | | fully accountable world. |