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Subject: |
4 Ways to Survive the Hard Times and Come Out Closer |
| Date: |
2009-04-20
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4 Ways to Survive the
Hard Times and Come Out Closer
By Sharon Rivkin
www.sharonrivkin.com
Is
it possible for something good to come out of the economic downturn?
Can a relationship, even one that may be experiencing its own hard
times, come out better for surviving the hard times? Here are
some ways to use the recession to your benefit:
- Back to Basics. View this as
an opportunity to get back to the basics. We live in such a busy
world, accomplishing a lot, but losing touch with our partner, family,
and friends. When we don’t have a lot of money to spend on
"activities," we have an opportunity to get closer and talk to one
another. Re-learn the value of family time. Rather than everyone
going in different directions, create simple activities with your
family. Instead of going out to eat, cook at home with your kids,
have a picnic and bring along the frisbee, or take a long walk and
enjoy the fresh air. Play cards or games…all the things we used
to do before video games and TV shows invaded family time.
- Keep it Simple. When the
economy is good, you have more money. More dollars in your pocket
allows you the freedom to distract yourself with more activities and
opportunities to do things separately. This may cause you and
your partner to drift apart. Because our wallets are slimmer now
and we’re staying home more, this gives us the chance to sit still,
slow our lives down, and start dealing with the unaddressed issues of
our relationship. By keeping it simple and going back to talking
to each other, you have a chance of getting closer and reviving the
spark that drew you together in the first place.
- Reevalute. Now's the time to
reevaluate our relationship to money. What are we spending our
money on that we really don't NEED? In flourishing economic
times, it’s easy to get carried away and confuse our wants and our
needs. This is the time to differentiate the two. Talk with your
partner about ways to pare down. Use this as an opportunity to
team up and work together on ways to save money. You’ll both feel
better with a plan of action.
- Finish, Rather than Start. Use this
as a time to look at the loose ends in your environment. Is there
a project you could finish together that doesn't cost a lot? When
the economy is good, we tend to start a lot of things without finishing
them. Get creative and save money by trading weekends with
friends. Get your buddies together and alternate weekends by helping
one another with household projects. This week at my house, next
week at yours. Then wrap up the day with a simple barbeque and
good company.
We come from a culture of doing
and achieving, with less emphasis on slowing down and enjoying the
simple things that life offers. The recession gives us an
opportunity to go inward, instead of outward, to think about what we're
grateful for and what we appreciate, and just how lucky we are to be
alive. Ultimately, we want closeness and companionship, and now
is the opportunity to cultivate what’s really important.
Relationship and Conflict Resolution Expert, Sharon M. Rivkin, M.A., M.F.T.,
author of The First Argument: Cutting
to the Root of Intimate Conflict, helps hundreds of couples
break the argument cycle with her proven, groundbreaking technique that
resolves the most painful issues, stops repetitive conflict, saves
relationships, and puts the love back in your marriage. Sharon
has been featured in O: The Oprah Magazine, Reader’s Digest, and major
websites such as YahooPersonals, DrLaura.com, Hitchedmag.com,
SheKnow.com, and many others. Visit Sharon at www.sharonrivkin.com. Permission
granted for use
on DrLaura.com.
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