Be Stronger Than Adversity

It is necessary to understand the challenges your family will confront because of the recession, but it is equally important to retain optimism and hope. It is prudent to be informed in matters and events of the recession that relate to your family, but it is not helpful to dwell on every negative media update with despondence and fear. In a climate of decaying employment and financial turmoil, it is essential to demonstrate motivation, resourcefulness, and self-confidence that give your family, employers, and business associates alike a reason to believe your efforts are valuable in combating instability. Such enthusiasm may be difficult to find during a recession, but may prove to be the reinforcement your foundations need to stand firmly against toppling dominoes.

Have Fun
Don’t allow a tightening budget or a decrease of “fun money” to also result in a reduction of family activities. While it may be necessary to restrict indulgences from a financial standpoint, there is no reason to eliminate family fun that can be done for free or at low cost. A recession can create a somber mood in families that like a diet, can make them feel that they are not able to enjoy anything. Don’t let this happen to your family.

Family time is especially important when times are tough. Rather than missing out on family fun, look for opportunities to fill gaps of pleasure that have been created by restricting budgets, by instead engaging in additional free or low cost family activities. There is no reason to feel guilt for indulging in affordable fun family activities that replace those that once made a dent in the budget. Adding a variety of frugal family fun activities can help your family to retain a level of hope and optimism that rivals that of non-recession days. For help finding ideas that your family can do together, see our article called “100 Fun Family Activities.”

Dwell on the Positive
Look for the good in your family and verbalize it to one another. Identify the strengths that you possess as a family and areas in which you can grow stronger together. Seek out aspects of life that show signs of promise and improvement and celebrate them. Dwell on the positive rather than the negative and optimism will come more easily to your family even in difficult times.

Don’t Let Stress Get the Best of You
The challenges of the recession have the potential to weigh heavily upon the minds of a family. Concerns and burdens of insecurity can be a source of tension that lead to volatile tempers and rapid flare-ups of emotion.

Before releasing pent up frustration upon one another, be aware of the source of the stress. It is natural to worry about situations that seem beyond personal control, but avoid misdirecting frustration with daily world stresses at a loved one. It is important to express these issues with your family, but in a way that does not compromise the feeling of being on the same team. It is easier to fight a battle with your team, than to fight your team to win a battle.

Do What You Must
Tighten the budget, save where you can, and be willing to work harder than ever. When resources are scarce or threatened, it is essential to identify a path to financial stability. Although sacrifice is an unpleasant word, it may be the rule for financial survival during recession. Find ways to save and discuss them as a family. Be certain that everyone knows the changes to be made and why they are needed. At the same time, maintain an atmosphere of hope that the changes will be temporary and that better days will eventually come.  Do whatever it takes to assure that your family dominoes will remain standing when the impact comes.